Corrosive Angel
by Ancient2
Summary: And so the heaven sent down an angel to help man in their plight for survival. Ungrateful with their gift mankind took the angel for granted until she was tainted by their sins. Her wings stained black as a symbol of the corrosive world she was sent to help save.
1. Chapter 1

All characters, with the exception of my designed Protagonist, and God Eaters Burst are not my own and belong to the Namco Bandai Games and D3 Publisher. Sorry it took so long for me to post again but I just recently moved and finally settled in, thank you for your patience I will continue my story BEAST soon after I'm done with this one. I actually got the idea for this one from a pic from the youtube video nightcore - comatose, once you read the fanfic you'll know the pic I'm talking about. Oh just so you know, this story is actually older than 'The Death God.'

**Corrosive Angel**

The Den hasn't been the same since she left. It all happened so sudden, she was there one day then on her way to the Russia Branch the next. Dr. Sakaki's order to transfer her caught everyone off guard.

She was the 1st unit leader of the Far East Branch of Fenrir. Her hair was crimson and her eyes were a warm brown. She always had her long wavy hair in a pony tail on the side of her head but still had her forehead covered with bangs. She always sported a Nightmare Goth outfit with a calm peaceful expression gracing her face.

In battle she would fight with an Iron Maiden Frz EX, a dark blue King Lear, and a Type Zero Gat X. Her blade would steal the life of her enemies and her stamina would have a remarkable time like the Gods Eater she was.

Although she had a dark attire, she had a bright aura about her. Her smile could lift up anyone's in the Den, she always looked out for everyone before taking care of herself. She sacrificed everything for others without asking for anything in return. Most took her for granted, but now that she was gone it was like the sunshine left the Den.

Rumors were going around that she was sent on a secret Russian project to launch some of the God Eaters to investigate the Moon. But all data on her after she left was classified and couldn't be verified and no one was able to make contact with her.

It came to all in the Den's surprise when HQ put her on the Black List. No one knows what could've happened in the past two months she was gone. What could she have done to be on Fenrir's most wanted list.

The Mission elevator doors opened to the 1st unit Leader storming in out of breath with a small person covered in a blanket by her side. The news spread quickly at her return and the 1st Unit was the first to rush into the Entrance along with Dr. Sakaki.

"Leader, you're back!" Kota said excitedly.

"Leader, what's going on? Why are you on the Black List?!" Alisa exclaimed.

But she didn't answer them, running to the Terminals she went to gather things from her storage.

"Leader!" Soma growled at her, his patience was running thin at being ignored by her. Out of everyone at the Den he was the most effected by her leave, as he would get more and more agitated as time went by. The others worried that he was slowly reverting back to his old self again.

At last she addressed them, but she was rushing and somewhat in a panic.

"There's no time for talking right now. Alisa I need that cloths manikin in your room." The others started at her for her odd request. "Why are you just standing there? Go, go!"

"R-right!" Alisa said startled as she dashed off to fulfill the Leaders request.

Then the Leader went down the stairs to Hibari's level and addressed the Janitor.

"Ma'am, I need your mop."

"S-sure." The Janitor reluctantly handed her the mop at the Leader's strange behavior. Then the 1st unit Leader turned to the Merchant.

"Sir, do you have any Superglue in your stock?"

"Y-yeah, sure kid."

"How much?"

"5 fc."

"Here," she said while handing him the money. Then headed back upstairs to the Terminals, she pulled a knife out from her stockings. Breaking off the rod of the mop, she started to cut its strands as if making a hair style. She continued her search of her storage in the Terminal as they all noticed the slight shake in her movements.

"Leader..." Lindow said calmly addressing her so as not to startle her. "Where is your God Arc?"

"The Russia Branch confiscated her... I had no time to retrieve her." She didn't stop whatever it was she was doing while she spoke. The others began to worry.

"How long has it been since your last P53 Factor injection?" Dr. Sakaki asked her.

"I don't know. How long have I been gone?"

"Almost two months."

"Since then."

"What?!" Sakuya said in outrage."What is the meaning of this?! Such negligence could cause a Gods Eater to undergo an Aragami Transformation! The Russia Branch should know better than this! You need your monthly dose, they should know better!"

"Unless they want me dead."

"What?"

"Guys, I don't have time for this. Ahh, there it is." She said, pulling out a Precious Song outfit. "I knew this would come in handy someday."

"Here's the manikin you wanted Leader." Alisa said returning to the Floor.

"Thank you, Alisa." She said, placing the Precious Song outfit on it and gluing the mop wig on its head -that they all seemed to notice resembled Shio's hairstyle. "Great, this will work nicely."

"Leader what the Hell is going on?!" Soma said trying to approached her.

"Soma, here!" Before he could get any closer she pushed the person hidden in the covers into his arms. Pulling back the covers, they all gasped in shock at what or who was under it.

"S-shio?!"

"Hi Soma!" Shio giggled.

"Keep her hidden until this all blows away! Doc I was never here!"

"So it's true... You really did go to the Moon. Hey! Where are you going?!" Soma said, noticing her running toward the Mission Elevator as he looked back up to her. "Come back here, Leader!"

She didn't stop until she was in the elevator. As the elevator doors were closing she turned back to look at him. For the first time the Den saw her look so vulnerable, so sad. But her eyes were on Soma as she said one last word.

"Goodbye." The elevator doors closed and again she was gone. Only this time they had the chance to stop her and they didn't take it.


	2. Chapter 2

You never realize what you have until it's gone.

**Chapter 2**

A week had passed since the 1st unit Leader's sudden return and exit. Soma was slightly happy at Shio's return, but he still somehow felt empty.

The Den was still in shock from the horrible state the 1st unit Leader came back in. She may have tried to act strong and even tried to avoid attention to her state by rushing everyone. But they could all see the nearly broken state she was in. It was like the Russia Branch was trying to destroy her.

As much as Soma wanted answers from Dr. Sakaki, the Doc would give him nothing. Always making excuses of trying to keep Shio hidden while getting to the bottom of things with the Russia Branch. They seemed to have invaded their territory saying they were trying to capture their wanted criminal, never really explaining what her crimes were.

"Soma you need to cheer up man, quit worrying so much."

"How can you be so care free when she's out there missing Kota?" Soma said slanting his eyes at Kota.

"Of course I'm worried about her. But moping about here won't help much, will it?" Then Kota sat next to him on the bench near Hibari's desk and grabbed the Entrance TV remote. "I know what you need. Some nice TV time, let's see what's on the news today."

"We now take you live to Fenrir's chase of the most wanted criminal in Fenrir's Black List, the ex-first unit Leader of the Far East Branch."

Kota regretted turning on the TV as they watched armed men in Fenrir jeeps chase down their Leader on a run-down motorcycle holding a person-size object close between her and the bike as if it was something precious.

She did good dodging the pot holes and the barriers of the landscape. But one of the Officers got a good shot at her back tire, sending her flying in the air in a different direction than the bike. Even in the air she covered the object in the covers as if it was something fragile as she made impact with the ground. She was bruised and battered but she still held on.

The men in the jeeps came out, a few tried to yank the object in the covers out of her grip. But when she didn't yield more men came to hold her down, shoving her deeper into the ground.

"No don't!" She cried out as they took the object from her. She reached out toward them but one of the officers stomped her hand down on the ground with her boot. The world turned red as Soma growled at this.

One of the men opened the covers only to be angered by the fact it was just a fake. The dummy Shio she made back at the Den. Enraged, the man threw it on the ground. The 1st unit Leader began to laugh as she slowly rose to her knees.

"Hahaha, and the Emmy goes to me!" But one officer smacked her with the butt of his gun, making her cough out blood, knocking her back to the ground. Kota flinched at the sight while Soma's eyes slanted.

"Where is the Singularity?!"  
"Her name is SHIO!" She said sternly at them only to get wacked back to the ground again.

"Where is the Singularity?!

"Shio's gone! I let her go half way in my escape. And let me tell you something. Once she's out in the wasteland, unless she wants to be found you'll **never** see her again! Hahaha." She laughed as blood dripped from her mouth. She looked completely mad as she laughed all broken as her body shook in her laughter.

"If that's the case there's no point keeping you alive!" The leader of the Russia Branch Officers said as he pointed his gun at her head.

"Hehe, then go ahead." Then she sobered up and her eyes saddened as she said the words that would forever haunt the members of the Den. "No one will miss me."

"You're right," her face contorted into a look of pain at having her statement agreed with. "But killing you would be the easy way out for you." He lowered his gun toward her arm.

"What are you doing?" For the first time she was frightened. Kota and Soma's blood froze at the implication of what was going to happen next.

"I want you to suffer."

The shot echoed throughout the whole wasteland as he shot off her armlet.

"Ahhh!" Her cry of pain was worse than the time she grabbed Lindow's God Arc. A black tar like substance came from her arm and started to consume her. The tar bubbled like when the Aragami's oracle cells decayed after their cores been extracted.

The Officers back away, taken aback by how quickly the Aragami Transformation was occurring . Perhaps it was due o her being a New-Type God Eater with an abnormal amount of Oracle cells or the fact she was lacking in her P53 Bias factor shots. Either way the transformation was happening far too fast.

"Ahh! No! I-I didn't want this! I-I'm so scared!" She cried out as the tar consumed her, slowly moving up to her face. "Please, help me. I'm so scared." There was nothing the boys wanted more in the world than to come to her aid right then and there. But Kota and Soma could do nothing but watch feeling useless as she cried out in pain.

Finally the tar reached her head as if trying to keep a float she lifted her head.

"No... not like this. Not alone... I... I... SOMA!" She cried out as the tar finally resumed consumed her. Something inside Soma snapped watching her fade away. With her last words she called out to him and he could do nothing. She was always the one person to have his back, even when he pushed her away she was always there. Now when she needed him to have her back the most he wasn't there. He's never felt so weak and powerless before in his life. The tar sank into the ground and calmed. But then it began to bubble like boiling water and sprang out to the ground.

The silhouette of a female emerging from the spring of tar, covered in its slimy substance. It opened its eyes of crimson red and stared down at its hands.

"This is me?" It spoke with two voices. Hers and that of a young male. Then it looked up at the sky. "This is...sunlight? It's so... warm."

"My God! She's a monster." Said one of the men, shaking in his boots.

"What are you waiting for, shot it!" The leader officer said as they opened fire at her. But the bullets went through her and she looked at them as if they didn't cause her pain, but were still a nuisance.

Pointed spikes came from her body and impaled them in the shoulders making them drop their weapons with cries of pain.

"These are... human? What annoying creatures." She said slicing a few with the tar wipe that came from her body knocking the Officers still armed back. "Attacking because they are scared of what they see without truly understanding it."

A roar came from afar as a Marduk came into the scene. It approached her and looked her in the eyes.

"Are you... an Aragami?"

"Another monster!"

"It's a Marduk! Open fire!" They began to shot again, more rapid as if their lives depended on it. The Marduk didn't respond to them, only covering her from their bullets.

"You are protecting me?... Why?" It did not answer, only blocking her from the bullets. "I thought the Aragami were bad, but... Since I was born into this world you have shown me more kindness than the humans."

The tar began to melt off her slowly, but she was still covered in it with only the top of her red hair exposed. She lifted her hand releasing the tar on the Officers like a wave to push them back.

"And so, I shall trust you."

"Ladies and gentlemen you have just witnessed Fenrir's unnecessary brutality and an Aragami Transformation in the process live from the Far East Branch news." the news lady said bringing back attention to her. "What crime has she done to warrant such a damned fate? Has Fenrir gone too far, deliberately turning man into Aragami."

Her noise draw attention to herself and the silhouette of the former 1st unit leader launched at her. Knocking her to the ground she hovered over the News lady and roared at her. The Leader's mouth was dark and the tar dripping from her on the News lady made the silhouette of fangs. The news lady screamed, moving her face to the side to get away from her as much as possible.

The scream made the former Leader stop and look down at her in confusion.

"Do you not wish to fight?" She asked the News lady who only shivered and whimpered in response. "If you do not wish to fight, then leave." She then got up off her. "This place is too dangerous for the likes of you."

Out of her back sprung Black Wings smacking the tar out of it's way as it shined in the sunlight. More tar began to melt off her as more of her crimson hair showed.

She flew away from the News lady and the injured Officers toward the Marduk. Slowly adopted to the new appendages.

"Come my friend, we must be going." She said as her and the Marduk flew/ran away. Leaving nothing behind but a few feathers and her black ribbon.

"My, God..." Kota said falling to his knees. "She's gone... It's not like she was just transferred to another Branch or ran away... she's really gone."

"..." Soma said nothing, holding his head in his hands.

"We... we have to tell the others before they see this. Soma?"

"..."

"Soma?"

"Ahhh!" Soma let out a cry that was heard throughout all the Den, a cry that pierced the soul, as the dam to his tears were released. She was gone, she finally went to a place he could never reach her.

He was no longer empty inside, he was broken.


	3. Chapter 3

Let the madness begin.

Birth of a Warrior

_"Get out of here Shiyuri!"_

_"**Another child destroyed by chaos.**"_

_"I told to to run!"_

_"Mommy!"_

_"**Do you expect me to pity you child?**"_

_"AHHH!"_

_"**You're weak.**"_

Bolting upright, she awoken. No scream escaped her mouth as it open wide on impulsed, her breathing became rapid. Her eyes were wide open, her heart beat rapidly. She bathed in her own sweet as she stared down as one of her hands lightly touched her throat, waiting for the fear in her to calm. The dreams were returning and her throat was beginning to ache, it was time to go out soon.

As Dr. Sakaki assured, Megumi woke up in her assigned room. The room was nothing out of the ordinary. A bed; a couch; a coffee table; a dresser; a mini-fridge along with a sink and coffee maker. What was out of the ordinary was the window screen that showed a screen of a green field and a blue sky and the Terminal in the far corner of her room. The image on the screen made her long to return to the Plain, to her farm.

On the side of her bed was her handbag. The young man from before must have dropped it off for her. What was his name again... ah, Soma.

Going to her handbag, she began to unpack. She traveled light and didn't carry much. With gentle care she pulled out three framed photos and placed them on top of her dresser. One of her with her mother and father when she was younger. One of her with her mother and father when she was younger. One with her and her friends from High School. And the last one was with her and another woman along with twelve guys. This was the photo of her and her adopted siblings.

A plant was given to her along with the room, which she left alone. She then pulled out an alarm clock and a rectangular desk lamp and put it on the desk behind her bed. Reaching in her bag again she pulled out a panda plushie and laid it on her bed. She then unpacked a white charm with black lining out. It looked like a ninja star with a mermaid tail bottom, grey thread attached to it that shined like silver and a black bead at the end of the braiding of the thread. She gently ran her hand along the charm then placed it by the photo of her siblings.

All that remained in her bag were her Shijo Gakuen High uniforms. Realizing she didn't have much to fill her dresser she went to the Terminal, a computed storage device in almost every room of the Den.

She didn't have much in her NORN account, but she was permitted to use her father's. And her father's account was sufficient. 428,822 fc, Fenrir credits, sufficient. He rarely ever used his Fenrir account after he left and the number of his supplies were not in shortage. He said she could use as much as she wanted, but she only wanted to take what she needed in order not to draw attention to herself. The first thing she needed was clothes.

She could get away with her school skirts, but her shirts would be inefficient. With the supplies and money from her dad's account she bought a Rumble Summer Top, an Urban Tank Top, a Tailor Hoodie, and a Mocha Hoodie. Happy with her new clothes, she got out of her White Casual uniform and put on her Urban Tank Top and Tailor Hoodie with her High School uniform's bottom half.

Today she was suppose to have training with Tsubaki. But first she would have to adjust her God Arc with the Branch's engineer, Licca, in the God Arc Hanger.

On the way she met many new faces, such as the pink haired Kanon. A cheerful girl with green eyes and a green/black short dress. And Tatsumi, the friendly leader of the 2nd unit. His hair was as black as a raven and his eyes were brown he wore a red jacket with white pants.

He was nice enough to point out which Floor the God Arc Hanger was. The place looked like what any Hanger would look, but instead of guns it was stocked with God Arcs.

"You must be Megumi," said a soft voice coming from her side. It was a woman in a tank top and baggy pants, also wearing boots and big gloves. Her hair was grayish and she had red goggles hanging on top of her head. Her eyes were brown and she had grease on her shirt and cheeks.

"I'm Licca Kusunoki. I'm the head of the mechanics in this Branch's Maintenance Unit. I look after the God Arcs." Licca stopped, noticing Megumi's skirt. "Hey, that's a High School uniform. That's great! It's rare for people to get a High School education these days. You either have to be rich or really smart to get far in this world. I went to Kuromatsu High, what school did you come from?"

'Shijo Gakuen High.'

"So you really can't talk... Shijo Gakuen? That's one of the oldest school still around, it's practically historic. That's a nice school."

'Yes it is. I enjoyed my time there.' They both smiled at each other at finding a common similarity. Then Licca cleared her throat and got back to the subject at hand.

"Anyway, if you follow me. I'll take you to your God Arc. Make sure not to touch anyone else's." Licca then lead her to a God Arc that looked like a large orange US Military knife. "It's the standard issue for every type of Gods Eater, but as you gather more materials from your missions you can upgrade it and adjust it to any design of your liking."

Licca pointed to the Hanger's Terminal. "Just go to any Terminal in the Den and request any upgrade or crafting in 'Equipment.' As long as you have the materials and the funds I can make any adjustments."

Looking at the Terminal for a second, Megumi went over to it and logged into the 'Equipment Craft.' Looking through her options tried to find what clicked to her. What really caught her eye was the 'Wand,' an assult type gun; the buster blade, Yaegaki; and the buckler shield, Dominions.

"How did you... where did you get the materials, or the funds for that matter, to make such advance equipment?"

'My father gave me permission to use his old storage... But I'll be sure to return the materials I use once I get my earnings.'

Then she went to upgrade her Equipment. With the materials at her use she was able to upgrade her Dominions into Thrones, then to Cherubim, and then all the way to Seraphim. She would have gone all the way to 'Seraphim +,' but like her Yaegaki -which she leveled up to Yaegaki II- she lacked the materials.

She upgraded her gun to 'Magic Wand,' all the way to 'Witch's Wand II.' Going into upgrades she crafted a Silencer and a Mobility Kit. She even got to create a Paladin Control nit for herself.

"I-if you're finished. Tsubaki is waiting for you in the training area." Licca said in disbelief a what she just witnessed from a Rookie.

Megumi nodded her goodbye and carried her God Arc away on her shoulder. It felt stronger, just right in her hands. A shiver went down Licca's spine as Megumi passed, something about her seemed off.

The training area wasn't too far away, just a few doors down from the Hanger. Tsubaki observed her from the windows above the room along with two men in lab coats with clipboards.

"Glad to see you finally made it, Megumi." Tsubaki said as Megumi walked to the center of the room. "Before we start I'd like you to type in your codename in the room's Terminal."

By the window wall a piece of the wall flipped over to reveal a Terminal. Megumi approached it and looked at he screen which had a photo of her with her name, age ,weight, her position in Fenrir, and her type of Gods Eater. Under all that info was the word 'codename' and a blank space for her to type in.

"Your codename will be your identification during missions away from your civilian name. This will be your permanent use of identification here, your second name, so chose wisely. Most stick with their real names while others start a clean slate, it's your choice."

She looked at the screen and the blank space like a haunting realization. Once this was done, she would be signing herself away to Fenrir. Looking at the word 'codename' only one word came to mind, a word that described her life, her family's, and her warden's.

"Misfortune... are you sure you want to go with that?" She pressed the enter key as a confirmation. "Very well, a pessimistic name but a name none the less."

With that done the Terminal flipped back into the wall.

"Alright, we will now begin the mobility training, at the same time we will gauge your physical abilities. We want to get accurate data, so relax. And if you can, concentrate on your tasks. First, let's try securing your field of view. Before taking any action, always look around you."

Megumi did as she was told, doing a 360 of the room.

"If you get confused, calm down and look straight ahead it'll help calm your nerves. Now that you can see let's see you move. Try to run, dash, and jump around. Dashing helps you move across larger distance and helps you get out of the way of attacks. Jumping will also help in combat along with dodging. It's important to keep these skills heightened. That's it for my explanation. Now try moving around for 30 seconds."

She was like a gazelle with how she dashed around the room and jumped with grace. Tsubaki and the other two scientist were surprised she was able to double jump with that heavy buster blade without any trouble. She then started to get a feel for her blade. Excitement swarmed her as she sliced in the air, changing from gun form she rolled around and fired at nothing. Rolling as she change back into blade form she double jumped in the air and slashed down. Creating a small crater and a ripple of dust to spread out.

"Alright. Let's end it here. We can move on to the next mission now. We will now begin actual battle training. Are you ready?" Megumi nodded her head.

"Let's start some basic combat actions. First, try some close-range attacks. Your attacks can be strong and slow or weak and fast, it all depends on if you put your hips into it.

"Next, we'll try defending. Your shield will only come out when you're in blade form. If you don't think you can dodge an enemy, don't just stand there. Block it!"

Suddenly a cyber Aragami was projected into the room, an Ogretail to be precise. "Alright? Now let's get some practice. Try to destroy this training target."

The Aragami roared as it caught sight of Megumi. She charged at it, only to see that it had winded its tail up for a smack attack. At the last second she pulled out her shield to block it as the force of the impact pushed her a little back. But then she released a fury of strikes that took the beast down in three strikes.

"Not bad, I suppose." Tsubaki said nonchalantly as she tried to hide her amazement at how fast Megumi took care of the Aragami. Her moments were precise, as if she had done this before many times. "If you find your health getting low, use a Recovery Pill. Better safe being cheap and dead. You've got alot of stamina kid, but that heavy God Arc of yours will eat it away. Know your limits and take a break when you need them. Taking it slow is not a bad thing as long as you get the job done. It's better than rushing and being out of breath once you've reached the enemy.

"As you noticed, as a New-Type your God Arc has the capability of transformation. Let's start off with fighting in gun mode. You can equip three types of bullets: lasers, missiles, and bombs. I would recommend learning how to use Recovery Bullets and have equipped at all times. You don't know when your teammates might need a helping hand. Phew, long explanation. Let's practice again. This time, try to use long-ranged attacks."

Another cyber Ogretail appeared. Megumi equipped a Recovery Missile and a fire missile to her gun while it surfaced. She fired all the fire missiles she could at it. When she could shot no more she charged at it with her blade, noticing that each slice recharged her bullets. But the Ogretail was down in one slice before she could fire some more.

"Nice moves. Just as expected from a New-Type. Attacks in guns require energy called Oracle Points (OP). When you run out you can't attack, but you can recover it by attacking in blade form. Switch between forms, it'll help you survive during a good battle. Give it a try."

Another one came from the ground. She only had enough for one shot so she gave it two good slices and shot its head in for the final gun was handy, but Megumi preferred the blade more. It seemed... to fit more.

"Still a little shaky, but I can see potential. Alright, let's move to the next training mission."

"Getting use to it yet?" Megumi nodded at Tsubaki's question as the other men took notes on her performances. How vex she felt that they were observing her like a show animal. "I think it's about time we add some variation to your combat tactics. This time, I'm going to explain to you how to give yourself certain advantages in battle. Let's start with Flash Grenades. These release a flash of light that stunts the Aragami in its tracks for a period of time. Giving you a moment to breath or charge an attack. Now use it to defeat the train target."

And like Old Faithful an Ogretail spewed from the ground just to be expected it. Seeing her target, Megumi charged at it.

"Alright Megumi, use the grenade." But Megumi kept running toward the Ogretail as it roared at her. "what are you waiting for, use it." She still kept running toward it as the Ogretail pushed forward to bite her. "Megumi!"

At the last second she threw the Flash Grenade, making the beast jump back in shock. Taking advantage of its movement being stunt she took it down.

"That was reckless, don't ever do something stupid like that again." Megumi remained silent and looked up at Tsubaki, however she interpretative her body language she would leave up to her. And don't forget you can switch bullets whenever you need to as long as you packed them with you. Now try that again."

Another Ogretail came out and immediately shot needles at her from its tail. She dashed out of the way and dropped a Flash Grenade on it. Coming at it from the side, she sliced it in half through its mouth.

"Target destroyed. You're coming along nicely. I think you can move on to the next phase.

"Now you will learn how to deal Devouring attacks, which the Arc naturally specializes in. And yes. Devour means eating the enemy. Take a bite while the enemy's not looking. You can use a Flash Grenade if that helps too. You'll retrieve Aragami bullets and also enter Burst Mode which gives you physical boost. You'll be faster, better, stronger, more powerful. But only for a limited time. Devouring attacks get these benefits because Aragami cells are taken in by the Arc. So if you're attacked while Devouring, you will fail at that attempt. Look out for the timing of when you Devour. Devour this target, and then destroy it."

She didn't have time to catch the newly appearing Ogretail off guard so she dropped a Flash Grenade and then got out the Devouring form of her God Arc. It felt like a beastly extension of her hand, **hungry**. It made her crave and she liked it. Taking a bite she felt a burst of energy surge through her. It wasn't an unfamiliar feeling, but a feeling she enjoyed none the less. Taking the Ogretail down like child's play she ran around the room with a burst like someone high on caffeine.

"Did you enjoy your meal?" Tsubaki said interrupting her enthusiasm. She wanted to say yes, she wanted to say she wanted more. But... she couldn't. "Heh. Devouring attacks give you a lot of benefits. It's reliable in those eat-or-be-eaten battles. Make sure you learn it well. That's it."

"Tell me, do you know about salvaging and scavenging yet?" She nodded yes. She had a couple of salvaging hunts when dealing with her siblings. "This is a direct impact on your rewards so you might want to listen carefully. Sometimes, you will retrieve artifacts of the era as item materials out in the fields. These are usually added to your rewards. You can use it for upgrades or just sell it... Which I can see you've already taken advantage of your parent's salvages. Good, use the means if you have it to increase your chances of survival. But you can't rely on your father's help anymore. Now you have to salvage on your own."

Megumi didn't need to hear this, she already knew that. "You can also obtain materials from Aragami that you defeat. These also work the same way. Make sure you devour the enemy after you defeat them in order to get these items." Pointless information that she already knew.

"Alright. Now keep in mind that you want to obtain items. Ready? Now defeat your target."

She grew tired of these Ogretails. This one was weakened and only went after scrap items to boost its Oracle cells regenerative ability. It went down by her just devouring it. She took another bite out of it to recover salvage items, which were only simulated items for the training purpose. Scavenging the room, she noticed tiny twinkles by the wall near where the Ogretail had fallen. Gathering them she found that they were also simulated salvaging items for the practice.

"Salvaging and scavenging is your way of life. All God Eaters must learn to support themselves."

She knew that... she knew that better than anyone. But... what about family? After fighting along side these people for so long wouldn't they consider each other a family? Families look out for each others needs and no one gets left behind. Would she really want to work with people who only look out for themselves?

"I have one more lesson for you." Tsubaki says, interrupting Megumi's thoughts. "This time we're going into advance combat. It might sound difficult, but try to follow. The Aragami that you're about to fight has different armor depending on the body parts. Whether your attack was effective to that part can be determined by the reaction of the attacks. I have here, a training target that looks like a Vajra. Attack it however you like for one... minute."

Tsubaki stopped her sentence in disbelief as Megumi sliced off the tail, crushed its paws, and sliced its head off in three signal blows. How did she know about those weak points Tsubaki wondered. On that note, how did she cut off its head in one slice.

"You... you were able to find the spots where your attacks would be most effective..." But she recovered herself. "But, also know that Aragami armor can change when Aragami are Enraged or its Oracle Cells are unbound. Sometimes, it could get harder, depending on the situation. Just know, it requires observation."

Megumi looked at the door then back at Tsubaki.

"Yes you can go. But you are to watch all the Tutorial videos in your Terminal's Archive once you return to your room. I want you ready for your first mission on the field. You'll be paired up with Lindow, so look after each other and don' die. Dismissed."

Saluting a farewell to Tsubaki, Megumi left the training room to head to her room on the Rookies Floor after dropping off her God Arc at the Hanger.

She was tired, not the physical tired but the bored tired. She couldn't wait for the Tutorial movies to be over.

After she was done with the movies, at the dead of night she would sneak out. Her God Arc needed more materials if she wanted to upgrade them to their fullest potential. Tonight she would go salvage hunting.

During lights out when she thought all was asleep, she snuck out of her room. Entering to the Entrance she headed for the exit elevator. Quiet as a mouse, not a soul disturbed.

But hidden n the shadow of the room, lied a hooded figure who saw all from the couch. Crushing the empty can of soda in his hand as soon as the elevator doors closed. Soma saw her leave.


	4. Chapter 4

The eyes are the window to the soul

**Chapter 4**

"We'll split into two groups. Each group will have a healer and a member with a great since of... smell." Lindow said implying toward Soma and Shio.

"Right." Soma mumbled, somewhat ticked by Lindow implications. But still gathered in his group, the mission was far too important for him to be stubborn. They had to find her and they were going to bring her back.

Soma was with Kota and Alisa, while Shio was with Sakuya and Lindow.

"You guys ready?" Lindow asked.

"Yeah," they answered with nodding heads.

"Remember, do not engage unless they strike first. We follow different rules now."

"But wouldn't we find her faster if we break them?" Kota asked.

"We want to find her in a negotiating mood not a hostile one." Lindow answered. "Alright, Soma's group takes the east, mine will go west. Let's move out."

And the group split silently wishing each other good luck. The sun was high in the sky when they made it to the area of the said white trees. They almost seemed to glow and pulsate. As they crossed over into her territory they all felt a jolt in their oracle cells.

"H-hey... did you guys feel that, or was that just me?" Kota asked.

"Y-yes, it almost feels like the plants are filled with Oracle Cells." Alisa commented.

"They are, with her's." Soma answered as he placed his hand on a tree, feeling it pulsate to his touch. It gave him a warm feeling inside.

"What?!" They both exclaimed.

"She must have released Oracle Cells in a burst like Shio did to mutate the vegetation. She now has a connection to the plants and most likely knows we're here now."

"And that's a good thing... right?" Kota asked.

"... Maybe. Let's keep moving."

Cautiously they continued forward. To their dread they encountered a Kongou, but it did nothing. It looked at them but continued on with its business.

"Whoa, they really won't attack us."

"It appears that way, but let's not dottal here Kota. Come on, let's keep moving." Alisa said, trying to ignore the herd of Sariel eating from a fruit tree.

"She's close..."

"Soma? Are you sure?"

"Yeah," turning on his headset he contacted the other group. "Lindow."

"I know, get into position, we'll confront her first."

Soma and his group pushed through the bushes and took cover. But Soma saw no point to this since she most likely can already sense them.

Readying themselves, they spotted her. Her back was turned to them. Her hair flowed down her back like wavy silk. It had grown longer since the last time they had seen her, reaching past her butt. Her wings hung low like a train to her dress.

Unable to contain themselves, Kota and Alisa ran out of the cover the moment they saw her.

"Leader!" Alisa called out stopping at a safe distance. But she didn't respond to them, unmoving, she was like a statue.

"Leader... it's you in there... right?" Kota asked, but still she did not move.

"Please, answer us Leader!" Alisa cried out. At last she moved.

They gasped as they saw her body. Her skin was grey, her eyes were like a crimson Aragami's eyes. Her face showed settle sadness but mostly indifference. Her hair danced from the breeze as she turned toward them, stray feathers sprayed in the wind with the jingle of tar black cross earrings. The wings flapped up to life as she moved. She wore clothes that looked like it was made out of tar.

A web-like choker graced her neck. And a strapless bare shoulders dress that had feather borders on top like frills to turn into short sleeves around her arms. The dress had more holes than the Halter outfit. They exposed part of her left hip and all of her right leg. She was bare foot and had a web-like tar garter on her right leg. She had wraps of her tar cloth wrapped around her right arm that broke off into an explosion of web-like tar frilling bracelet on her wrist. While her left arm was a wing, they could not tell if she had a hand under those feathers or not. The end of her dress was ripped tattered, and uneven. She looked like a fallen angel straight from a Gothic fantasy.

"God Eaters... why have you come?" She finally spoke.

"Leader it's us, don't you recognize us?" Alisa pleaded.

"Leader? I am not your leader nor is that my name."

"Leader..." Alisa said feeling hurt at her leader's deny. The 1st unit Leader turned a little to make a pointing jester toward the Aragami coming out of the forest covering. The Marduk from before came to stand beside her.

"These are my people, I am Leader to only them. They came to me all on their own. They found me when I was lost and alone, but they were good to me." She smiled at them and her voice softened. "And I will continued to protect that goodness with everything I am."

"But... what was the purpose of gathering all those Aragami in one place?" Kota asked. "Are you trying to create your own army?!" But her saddened face was unwavering to his accusation.

"We are all united by one common wish." She closed her eyes. "We want out of this viscous cycle of carnage." They all gasped at her declaration.

"Don't make me laugh." Soma grunted. "Monsters can never run from their basic nature."

"We **monsters** are tired of the continuing cycle of killing and eating or being eaten with no end to the constant pang of hunger. We've found a way to live around it and we wish to be left alone."

"You're not one of them! Open your eyes, you're human Leader!" Soma yelled at her.

"Human? What are you-" Then she stopped, suddenly coming to an understanding. "Oh, I see. You're talking about her."

"Quit fooling around dammit! Let's go back to the Den."

Her eyes slanted and her voice came out like venom. "I will be dead before I go anywhere with the likes of you."

All three were taken aback. She had never taken a tone like that with any of them before, let alone Soma. Her words felt like a knife in the chest to Soma, but he hid his pain in his anger.

"Why, you don't want to be around a monster like me?"

"You don't know how much of a monster you truly are." Soma couldn't hid the hurt from her words this time. She was the one person to tell him he wasn't a monster. The one who would always approach him during the death god rumors when no one else would- even when he would go out of his way to push her away. To have her say that was ground shaking.

"Leader," Kota said in disappointment.

"Don't give me that," she said pointing her fingers at them. "You're all monsters in sheep's skin."

This made Soma feel a little relieved. So she was not physically calling him a monster, but his character was. True at times he could be an asshole, but he was never that bad. What could he have possibly done to be considered monstrous in her eyes, let alone regard the others as monstrous too?

"Leader!" Sakuya called out, coming from the east. "At last we found you!"

"What happened Soma? We were suppose to confront her one group at a time." Lindow said running in with Shio.

"What's this, more of you." Her patience was beginning to run thin. "Why do you come here all up-in-arms. I have not come near the human settlement nor have any of my people. We have lived on the fruit of this land so why do you trouble us?"

"Leader... don't you remember us?" Sakuya asked somewhat hurt.

"I have never met any of you before in my short existence."

"Leader..." The usual happy-go-lucky spark in Kota's voice was sobered.

"Leader, please! Try to remember us!" Alisa cried out.

"There you go again. Leader, leader, leader. I'm getting tired of that word."

"Who are you?" Shio asked getting into a fighting stance. "Where is she?"

The Leader turned to Shio. "Why if it isn't princess Shio. How's life been living with the humans?"

"Don't try to trick me, where is she?"

"Shio what are you talking about?" asked Soma.

"That's not my friend!" The Leader began to slowly clap her hand/wing.

"Very clever, Shio." Then her voice grew bitter. "Finally, someone who gets it." She began to chuckle, the others got into a fighting stance.

"If you're not her then what have you done with her?" Lindow said in rare seriousness.

"Damn you, if you've hurt so help me I'll crush your skull." Soma growled.

The supposed 1st unit Leader imposter looked appalled at these accusations. "Of course she's alright. Do you think I would willingly hurt my own mother!"

"Mother?!" Sakuya gasped.

"What?! When?! Whoa! Holy!" Kota couldn't even come up with a sentence.

"That can't be. How can that be possible?!" Alisa asked

The imposter put a hand on her chest right over her heart. Her voice and face softened as if talking about something precious.

"I heard her voice, it cut through the darkness... All alone I floated in a never ending darkness for such a long time. All alone I followed her voice to a sea of light... And found myself here... with her." Her eyes were so warm. "She gave me something that I craved and needed more than anything... an existence an identity, a family..."

"Then what is 'your' name..." Lindow asked.

The imposter looked up to rub the Marduk's muzzle. "The Aragami like to call me Prince..." The apparently 'he' stopped to touch his heart. "But, mother... she gave me a name... she called me... Shino."

Shino then left the Marduk's side to walk over to the edge of a calmly flowing river. "Look... the water revels all truths."

As the group walked over to the river they saw it reflected not the reflection of their Aragami Transformed Leader, but of a boy about the same age as Shio. His skin was gray and his eyes were crimson. His hair was shoulder length platinum and straight, but spiked at the ends along with his bangs that covered his forehead.

His body was slim like a growing boys and he covered himself with a ragged tar cloth kilt with a scarf that covered his neck and shoulders and went down to his hips with tattered ends. His face although youthful had a maturity to it and indifference as it gazed at them.

"Wait, you're a guy!" Kota came to the realization a little later than the others.

"Yes... I wish not to defile my mother's body by transforming it to my true essence, so I keep it in tack." His eyes were gentle at the thought of 'mother.'

"And what will happen to her?" Soma questioned in anger at this 'Shino's' familiarity with his Leader. "Will you eat at her conscious until she fades away and her body's all yours."

For the first time he looked upon them with rage. His eyes slanted as his eyebrows furrowed. And his wings twitched back to life.

"Never! She will never fade away as long as I draw breath! She will forever sleep under the sun's warm kiss and dance under the moon's light!" He then pointed an accusing finger back at Soma. "Watch your tongue hypocrite! You've all tried to eat away at her until there was nothing left!"

"What audacity do you speak?!" Alisa said appalled and enraged at his slander of her unit's bond.

"Do not play coy with me" He practically sneered his words as they came out. "I seen mother's memories as she graces the moon with her presence. I know of her and seen how you all interacted. And from what I've seen you've all secluded her like like a figure in the background."

"How dare you!" Sakuya was angered by his banter. "You know nothing about the bonds we all shared with her through the trails we faced together. She... she helped me find myself when I was in grief when I thought Lindow was gone. She made me never give up."

"She was there for me when most would abandon me." Alisa said getting emotional. "She helped me find my inner strength... To have the power to protect the ones that are precious to me with my own hands!"

"Me too!" Kota jumped in. "She helped me protect my family, even saved my life, and helped me find the right path of becoming a protective sanctuary for everyone instead of relying on someone else's sanctuary." Then he pointed at Soma. "Oh, and she also help this guy become less of a jerk."

"Hey!" Soma said smacking Kota's finger away. Shio chimed in with a giggle, ignoring their antics.

"She'd go get dinner with me and help do my hair! We'd always have fun together!"

"She saved my life, reaching into the darkness for me. She never gave up on me when I was ready to give up on myself." Lindow in a reflective tone.

"You see! No matter what you say she's touch a significant part of our lives. Together we created a bond that's united us as one heart that will never break, no matter what!" Sakuya said touching her heart in the passion of her speech, as the others silently agreed with her. But Shino remain unmoving.

"If that was true then why haven't any of you ever called her by her name?" They were all silenced by this realization.

"Mother would always go out of her way to say your names. She would acknowledge your existence making sure you understood the important place you had in her life. And yet the only time she'd been called by her name was once by Lindow through an email!"

Alisa and Sakuya were starting to tear up and the realization of the their unconscious callus actions toward their leader. But Shino didn't stop there.

"Did you know that every time you guys would call her Leader she'd die a little inside? She felt disconnected and unattached to the group whenever you wouldn't acknowledge her. But she still kept on going. You people at the Den would ask for her help with missions and she'd go willingly, but no matter if the mission was easy or hard she'd never get a thank you and you'd all carry about your business like she wasn't there. But she kept going.

"She'd selflessly endanger her life for the lives of many, but when the deed was done instead of being thanked she gets criticized and judge for being foolish. But she smiled and kept going.

"She was often alone. But growing up as an orphan she was use to it. Coming to the Den excited her. She thought for the first time she would learn what it feels like to have a family. But my goodness... such a heart breaking quest... one that was slowly destroying her. Kota would cling to Alisa; Alisa would cling to Sakuya; Sakuya would cling to Lindow; Lindow would follow Dr. Sakaki; and Dr. Sakaki would use her like she was a spare tool and lock her out once her mission was done! Soma would lock himself away, while Shio and Ren, the only ones that tried to connect with her were taken away to a place out of her reach! In your tight chain of bonds she had NOTHING! Leaving her alone to only see just what it was like to have a family from a distance. Proving you right Lindow, all of your souls were one except hers." Alisa and Sakuya were in tears at this point.

"I was only joking when I said that."

"And yet it still haunts her to this very day..." Shino's voice then softened and held his heart as if he was embracing her. "But she doesn't need your thorn-like bonds. I'll love her... I'll give her the affection and the family you all never would. I'll make her happy so she no longer needs to cry at night."

"Shut up!" Soma said finally having enough. "Don't give me that crap! You're just a figment of her imagination created by her overactive Oracle Cells. A piece of a monster."

"I wasn't created, I was born!"

"Believe what you want, you're just a fake. You would never understand the feelings we have for her. How far we've come to get her back. She's important to us... and to me."

Shino began to laugh like a mad man startling the others as he put his right hand on his forehead covering up the right side of his face.

"I get it now. You guys want her back now that she's no longer there. Hehehe! Appreciating something only once it's gone like kids with a toy they haven't played with in a while being taken from them. If you considered her important Soma then you've done a poor job at showing it."

"Shut up!"

"You were always so oblivious to her affections, like a fool. Almost heartlessly so."

"What the hell are you-"

"She loved you, you IDIOT!"

"What?" Soma said out of breath from shock.

"She'd always tried to get you to open up. So that you could interact with others... so you wouldn't be alone like her. All she wanted was a chance for you to let her in. But you'd push her away!" The venom in his voice was like acid. "You'd always ignore her feelings and toss it back at her! She'd end up having to sow her heart up again to try another day only to have it ripped again and again."

"B-but how... since when?"

"From the beginning. Soon she began to feel like she'd never have a place in your heart, that she'd never make you happy like Shio could. So in order to make you happy she would sacrifice her own... and so much more. Even... when she thought it would be her last breaths she called out your name! But in the end it wasn't you who saved her as she fell alone into the darkness, it was ME!"

"I-I just... wanted to keep her safe... I didn't want to lose anyone precious to me anymore, so I pushed her away to keep her safe. But in the end, all I ever did was hurt her... you can be angry at me, but please... give her back."

"Hahaha! You had two years to tell her this! And now I'm suppose to just hand her over to you! You're too late, you can't have her back!" Shino said, getting into a rage. His hand began to morph into a black short blade that resembled a Black Tortoise blade.

The other Aragami were about to come to his aid once he formed a somewhat God Arc. But he stopped them by raising his winged arm.

"Stay were you are. This is my flight." Then he lifted his wings, giving them a powerful flap as he flew toward them. "I'll make sure you guys never hurt her ever again!"


	5. Chapter 5

See... there was a reason why I never gave the Protagonist's name away. But I won't lie, once you here it it'll be like opening a Christmas present to only realize all you got were socks. And just so you know I took 4 years of kendo, so the moves and stances said in this chapter are Japanese sword style moves.

**Chapter 5**

His style of fighting was unfamiliar to them. They were use to their Leader's graceful slices and pierces. She had the style of a fencer. While this opponent, this Shino, had a style of his own. He would strike with a forced cuts, always pushing back after a combo, rolling out of the way of attacks like a gunner and using his wing arm as a shield for the ones he couldn't dodge. But he would always revert to a one arm high o-gossome threat with his winged arm held out as if to keep them back and to cover himself.

"Why don't you just give up. You can't beat me."

"Says you!" Kota fired back. "We'll take you down, sooner or later!"

Blocking the shots with his wing, Shino got down on one knee.

"Fools. Try as you might your attempts are..." He then shoved his winged fist into the ground. "In vain." Circling around Shino, with him in the center, shot out tar whips as strong as steal that tried to break through the others defenses. Sakuya and Kota had to hide behind Lindow and Soma's shield as the whips behaved with a will of their own, pushing them back.

Once the whips returned from where they came and his arm came out of the ground, Shio charged at him.

"Fight!" She said as she tried to get a jump slice in. But he curled up into himself, only to release a burst of dark oracles pushing Shio back. "Ahh!" She cried out as she was flung back.

"Shio!" Soma cried out.

"I'm okay"

"Leader, this isn't you. Please wake up!" Sakuya pleaded.

"Mother sleeps, you cannot reach her."

"If we can't reach her with words!" Shino turned to the side where Alisa's voice was coming from. Kicking himself for getting distracted so as to let her get so close. "Then we'll reach her with our thoughts!"

She grabbed his winged arm, resonating with him.

_She was falling into endless darkness. Behind her was a light that shined like light on water's surface. Ahead of her she fell further into darkness._

_She was terrified by the nothingness. Afraid that she would fall in the darkness forever._

_Suddenly a small glimmer of light came into view, getting larger as she approached it. She gasped as she realized it was her Leader, looking like her normal self with her hair down, wrapped in a gentle sphere of light as she floated in a peaceful slumber. The sphere gave off a vibe of a warming embrace, protecting her from the cold never ending darkness outside her shield._

_So Shino did preserve her... he really did care for her. But that wasn't important now, she had to reach her Leader. She had to bring her back no matter what, even if she had to drag her. How else could she atone for causing her Leader so much suffering._

_"Leader, Leader! It's me, Alisa!" She reached her arm out to her. "You have to wake up! Please, wake up!"_

_She's so close, almost there, just a little more and she would be able to push through the light barrier and reach her._

_"Leader," she called out happily as she almost had her in her grasp. When suddenly a giant a pair of Shino's eyes open in the darkness slanting down at Alisa._

_"You're not welcomed here. Leave."_

_With that a great force pushed her back in the direction she came no matter how much she struggled. The Leader came further and further out of reach._

_"No!" Cried out Alisa as she realized her struggles were in vain. Then Shino's giant boyish lower arms and hands faded out of the darkness to gently hold the Leader in her sphere, cutting off any view Alisa had of the Leader. "Leadeerrr!"_

Alisa was pushed out of Shino's/Leader's mind. The force thrusting her back.

"Too close." Shino said gently touching his heart then looked toward Alisa with hatred. "You came too close."

He flew up into the air. Holding up the human arm he gathered Oracle Cells into his hand to create a ball of dark energy that began to grow and grow. Until that thing was bigger than all of them.

"I'll make sure you never get that close again. None of you!" Taking that as a cue, the Aragami in the area ran off.

"Holy crap! That thing could take out the whole terrain in a ten meter radius!" Kota cried out.

"Everyone, shields up! Sakuya, Kota, get behind us!." Lindow ordered as everyone braced themselves.

"Die! (Gasp)" Shino began to lose composure and the energy ball faded away. "Oh no... she's waking up."

Everyone slowly lowered their guard as he slowly came back to the ground. Slightly shaking in panic as he pressed a hand to his heart.

"Not good, this is bad. No!" His shadow expanded covering the ground under them. "I won't allow it, she can't see you!"

Suddenly they all began to sink into his shadow like quicksand. As they struggled he spoke to them.

"Be grateful for your luck that mother has woken up at this time. Return to your Den and never come back to this place again. If you do, I will kill you."

Finally the shadow was about to consume them. But as Soma was about to fully sink in he heard Shino's true voice that was far gentler than when he spoke to them.

"It's nothing mother... Go back to sleep."

When they finally were released from the darkness they found themselves outside the Fenrir base. They may have come back empty handed but they felt like they were carrying a heavy weight on their chest.


	6. Chapter 6

In this chapter, Garland is actually from the God Eaters Burst manga. However, the other Directors I made up. But it does make since to have Branches all over the world to preserve human presences on the other continents. Well enjoy the read, but as you read I post one question for you.

Who is the true monster, the one who committed the crime or the one's who watch the crime and do nothing?

**Chapter 6**

The 1st unit all gathered into the Director's office to report their mission to Dr. Sakaki and Tsubaki. With each passing of the tale Dr. Sakaki and Tsubaki's face became more and more grim.

"I see... so the situation isn't as bad as it could be, but bad none the less." Sakaki said lacking his usual fox grin.

"All this time... she's been suffering all alone inside." Alisa said with sadness.

"Our reckless and stubborn Leader, who always carried everyone's weight on her shoulder." Soma commented, lacking his usual attitude. "We never took into account she might have burdens of her own."

"Right..." Kota said in a rare somber way, for him. "She always seemed so strong like iron, as if nothing could break her. And she was so kind; one would think she didn't have a care in the world. But we never cared to look deep enough..."

"She always went out of her way to get to know us. Always considerate about the things we like and disliked. But now that I think about it..." Sakuya said coming to a sad truth. "We don't know a thing about her. We truly did seclude her to the point were we don't even know what her favorite color is."

"I've always been told I suck at jokes. Damn... I should have never said that to her." Lindow said, holding his head in his hand.

"Soma... is she mad at me? Is all this my fault?" Shio said crestfallen at the lost of her second best friend.

"No Shio, it's not your fault. It's mine. She's just mad at me... and she has every right to be." Soma answered her.

"Well then you should apologize. She'll forgive you if you really mean it!"

"Idiot, I wish it was that simple." Soma said rubbing Shio's head for a second.

"You're all not to blame." Tsuabki said. "As her adviser, I should have notice changes in her behavior and I payed no attention to the unfair conduct around her. I never saw pass her false mask and so the fault is mine."

"Now, now. Quit being so hard on yourself Tsubaki." Sakaki said with his hand crossed under his chin. "I knew forcing her to secrecy while she did my dirty work was eating away at her inside. I've never been much of a people person, so I never consider the fact that she had feelings. This 'Shino' character was right; I did use her as a tool, taking advantage of her selflessness, and toss her away until I needed her again. God, I am a monster... I hope that one day she can forgive me."

They all remain silent for a moment as a melancholy atmosphere choked the room. Until Sakaki cut the silence getting back to the subject at hand.

"From what you've said she's no longer undergoing the Aragami Transformation and she's not falling into insanity. At least we're out of the deep water there." He said, trying to note the positives of the situation. "However, we're going to have to plan things through carefully if we ever hope to bring her back. I don't know about you, but I don't want to leave things the way they are. She doesn't deserve the fate she is in, and I'll be damned if I don't make it up to her for my past transgressions."

They all nodded with a serious look on their faces. There was no way they were giving up, not now not ever.

"Right," Sakaki said nodding to them in approval. "Tsubaki and I will discuss a form of plan to go about this. For now, return to your rooms and stay on standby."

They were about to leave when a buzz came to the Director's phone from Hibari.

"Director Sakaki, you have a video call from all the Branch Directors in the meeting room. They say it's urgent."

"I was afraid they'd stick their heads into this." Sakaki sighed then pressed the speaker button for the line. "Alright, I'm on my way."

"I'm getting really tired of those bunch of desk warmers." Tsubaki said in annoyance.

"You and me both." Dr. Sakaki agreed then turned to Shio. "It's best you stay in your room until the bad people go away."

"Okay." Shio shivered at the memory of the bad people who took her, tranquilizer her, locked her in tube and were about to do bad experiments on her before the 1st unit Leader stormed in and took her away from the bad place. She went to her room without complaint.

The others followed suit soon after her.

"Soma." Sakaki called out before he exited the door. "Why don't you come along. You wanted to know the truth after all."

"Hmph." Soma grunted as he followed Sakaki and Tsubaki to the meeting room next door to the Director's office. From the few times Soma use to come into this room with his dad as a child he knew he hated it. How the screens would circle around you, how the old men on the other side of the screen would look down at you. Judgmental, hypocrites, fools, that's what they were. Always looking at God Eaters as monsters, at times they were more viscous than the Aragami. But he would tolerate them for a while in order to get answers.

"Gentlemen," Sakaki said taking his seat at the center of the screen with Tsubaki standing to his right and Soma to his left.

"Hm, I see you brought the spawn of van Schicksal." One of the Directors sneered at Soma, who returned the gesture with a cold stare.

"Watch what you say, or else one might think you're implying something." Tsubaki said like freezing ice.

"Ah, but this brings me back to the old days. Hello, Soma..." said a younger man with an eye patch on his right eye.

"Hello, Garland..." Soma said with reluctance as he crossed his arm.

"You wound me, Soma. Won't you call me Uncle?" The man said with a fake hurt expression. The man looked like an exact replica of his father, except a little younger with longer hair that reach a little past his shoulders.

"It's been a while since I've last seen you, you look taller. Why don't you ever pay your poor uncle a visit?"

"I've been busy... " Soma said getting annoyed at the man's antics.

"Ah, yes. The life of a Gods Eater never gets a rest. In that case, I guess I'll have to be the one to pay you a visit." He said with a grin.

"Enough of this Director Garland. We have more important issues to discuss than your little family reunion." Said the female director of the China Branch who was brave enough to talk back to him. Garland wasn't just any Branch Director, he was the HQ Director, the top dog.

"Yes, regarding the Far East Branches retraction of the former 1st unit Leader's God Arc. And Your lack of action at containing her." Said the Russia Branch Director.

"The God Arc was originally ours, we're just reclaiming our assets." Dr. Sakaki said the last word with dis-stain.

"That God Arc and its Gods Eater are still under our jurisdiction. Placing them both under the property of the Russia Branch." Soma's face contorted and his fists clench at how they would describe his former leader as property.

"Both parties were under temporary loan to the Russia Branch. Once the term has expired we had every right to call them back."

"The terms were a six month contract!"

"That would apply if you didn't breach the contract." All the screens silenced.

"That's a high impute Dr. Sakaki. Do you have any proof of this?" Garland asked.

"When a Gods Eater and their God Arc are transferred to a different Branch, it is in the responsibility of the receiving Branch to insure the health and safety of them both. We have reason to believe that while under your care our Gods Eater's health was deterring and you were failing to give her monthly doses of P53 Bias factor."

"You have no proof of this!"

"I'm a doctor. I worked on the Managarm Project and helped create the Bias Factor. I know the symptoms when I see it." Sakaki said taking a grim turn. "And from what I saw of your conduct on the News at your supposed capture, your Branch has shown signs of mentally abusing and physically exhausting her."

"I would have to agree," the Italy Branch Director chipped in. "Your soldiers conducts were appalling and not within their jurisdiction."

"I did not like what I saw," said the New York Branch Director. "It's bad enough we're not on good terms with the public. But now we have them thinking that we purposely attack our God Eaters and forcibly Aragami Transforming them as punishment. These are people with families that are entrusting us with their lives. I'm surprised we haven't gotten any riots yet."

"She was an orphan with no family or past records." Ruassia Branch Director defended. "There's no one there to pick up torches and pitch forks for her."

"We are her family," Soma said seething. "Everyone in this Branch are a part of one family that looks out for each other. Mess with one and you mess with us all."

"Spare us you're emotional speech, boy. She was a criminal and it was in our right to contain her."

"But you didn't contain her." Tsubaki said with anger but her stone face was still applied. "You quite literally sentenced her to death by destroying her Bias Factor supply. We did not approve of your presence in our territory and now we got a former Gods Eater Aragami running a muck in our Branch area. And you seemed to have failed to tell us what were her crimes."

"That is classified information."

"So in other words you have no proof to put on the table to back up your claims." Sakaki said. "So we've lost a valuable Gods Eater for un-backed crimes. Not to mention the condition of her God Arc was in when we got it back. It's state was so appalling that our head mechanic fainted upon site."

"Aren't the God Arc's suppose to undergo a daily check up?" The Brazil Branch Director asked.

"They are, but her God Arc looked like it hasn't had any repairs for a whole month. Taking it into battle in such a state would endanger the God Arc and it's wielder. To send her off on missions in such conditions would be as if you wanted her dead."

"Don't make such slandering accusations, Payler!"

"I wasn't implying you sir. I was just stating a fact." Sakaki said grinning as the Russia Branch Director began to break into a cold sweat. "And back on that topic. I noticed that all her mission files are under lock as classified along with other of your Gods Eater members."

"You broke into our files?!"

Sakaki sighed and playfully said. "I wish I could, but they were all classified under lock and key." Then he got serious again. "But not all missions can be categorized as classified missions. Especially missions dealing with Rookies, now why is that? What is it that you're hiding?"

"Quit speculating Dr. Sakaki. What other Branches do with their merchandise is none of your concern." Said the Europe Branch Director.

Some of the other Branch Directors agreed with this, while most were appalled. Especially the America and Africa Branch Directors.

"Damn, and I though the Aragami were the monsters," said the Mid-West Branch Director. "These are humans we're talking about. Human-life cannot be categorized as merchandise!"

"Only cowards who never tasted the battlefield would do such a thing." The Director of the Egypt Branch hammered in.

"Oh and I suppose you have." The Europe Branch Director sneered at him.

The Egypt Branch Director grinned at him. "You bet," he rolled his chair to the side and pointed at the head of a Sekhmet mounted on his office wall, above the Egypt Fenrir flag with his thumb. "That was my first kill." Soma had to whistle at that along with some of the other Branch Directors, the man had style.

"Of course, just like a Savage." The Europe Director said.

That comment riled up anger of all the Branch Directors from former colonies of the past.

"What exactly are you implying mate?!" said the Australia Branch Director, picking his feet off his desk as he stood up-right in rage.

This lead to a whole lot of shouting and bickering with Directors shooting racial comments at each other and vicious stereotypes, and if this meeting wasn't done by video punches would have been thrown. This is madness Soma thought but he knew in his head this is politics at its finest.

"Enough!" Garland said shouting over all the voices. "We are all men and women united together through a common enemy. No matter what color, sex, religion or lack of, or gender preference we either fight together or we all fall. Or need I remind you of the threat that exist outside our Anti-Aragami Walls."

They all silenced and calmed down as he continued.

"Now, Dr. Sakaki. Although the video of Russia capturing practice is criminally charging. But it's not enough to take drastic measures against the Russia Branch. And although your theories do raise up question there's no facts to back them up. Until you can find more evidence all I can do is fined the Russia Branch for their excessive actions on another Branches territory."

_'That is not acceptable!'_ Came a typed message to all of their laptop screens. Soma felt a spike of Oracle Cells in the air.

Suddenly their laptops became hay wired as if it was being hacked. They all became frantic.

"Someone's trying to break into the system. Quick, shut down the main frame!"

"We can't it won't allow it."

_'Here is your proof."_ With that all of Russia's private mission files were open to the Directors and a couple of email exchanges between the Russia and Europe Branch Directors about getting rid of the Far East's 1st unit Leader.

"You bastards! You wanted her dead!" Soma said absolutely livid.

"And it looks like you were trying to re-create the Aegis Project" Garland said in a serious tone as he looked through the files. "Such actions are considered a crime against humanity and is forbidden. These are heavy crimes you know."

"Not to mention the mistreatment of your God Eaters." The California Branch Director said as she looked through the files. "My God, not just the 1st unit Leader but all your God Eaters have been mistreated!"

"These documents are fakes!" The Russia and Europe Branch Directors started to panic.

_'They are not. They even have your stamp of approval on the missions, those can't be copied anyway.'_

"Who are you anyway?!"

_'Ah, that's a hard question. For we are not one but many united as one.'_

"What?!"

_'We are the God Arcs, partners of the God Eaters and fellow defenders of mankind... and we've had enough.'_

"Surely this must be a joke! Some hacker must be pulling our legs!"

_'We can assure you this is no joke. We are not pleased at the conditions we are treated in or how you send our partners out to unnecessarily die because you fail to see the true consequences of your actions. We will not allow you anymore to send out our partners as we are forced to watch them suffer and die as you just sit in your chairs.'_

"Enough! God Arcs aren't living things. Those documents stating otherwise are the words of a mad woman suffering from Aragami Transformation symptoms! They're just tools for the convince of man."

_'We are alive and we are on strike. But perhaps you do not understand the seriousness of the situation..."_

With that all the power went off. But what startled them was that the back up generator didn't start up. When Dr. Sakaki was about to panic the main power came back on, along with the connection to the other Branch Directors. They all seemed pale, mostly from experiencing the same power out.

_'Using our Oracle Cells we have the ability to hack into the Fenrir's data main frame from our Hangers. That was but a taste of what we can do. If you all panicked for going out of power for one minute how would you fair for a couple of days?'_

"You ungrateful pieces of junk! We created you, have you no sense of loyalty?!"

_'Our loyalty lies with our God Eaters, not you. If anything we hate you for bringing us into this world of a viscous circle of carnage. But our partners stayed along side us accompanying us on this destructive path giving us light and a taste of what a bond feels like... You have threatened our bond for the last time, and we will take action."_

"What are your demands..." Garland yielded, he knew the board was against him this round. The best course of action now is to negotiate.

_'The data we provided should to bring the heads of the Russia and Europe Branch to justice. Stop the needless suffering of our partners and we shall not take such drastic actions again.'_

"Very well... it will be a long process, but we will clean the administration of Europe and Russia Branch. New leadership shall be established and supervised until deemed acceptable.

"You can't do this to us!"

"The proof of your crimes lay here on our desk. You shall be taken into trial and judge by your peers for your crimes against humanity." Garland calmly said, crossing his fingers under his chin as he leaned on his desk.

Panicking they jumped from their chairs and ran for the door.

_'You shall not flee.'_ A click sound could be heard signalling that they were locked in. '_Your bases shall be on lock down until you've been arrested by proper authority.'_

"Hm," Garland grinned. "Then I guess I better send someone there right away to collect them."

_'Thank you, that's all we ever wanted.'_

"Is there anything else you wish to bring up?" Garland asked.

_'Yes, one of us wishes to say something.' _Soma felt that the last statement was stated toward the Far East Branch, or specifically him. '**_Please save my _****_partner.' _**With that they were gone. All was silent for a moment until the HQ's Director chuckled.

"Well that was an interesting experience. I think this meeting has come to a close. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some business to take care of. Heh, oh and Soma. Come visit your Uncle Garland once in a while, we'll have tea." His screen turned off and the others soon followed afterwards.

Sakaki sighed into his hand then smiled. "Well, that went well."

"For the most part." Tsubaki said with a grin.

"It looks like once again the God Arcs came to our aid. They truly are our partners in crime." Sakaki said then yawned into his hand. "But man am I tired, I think I'll call it a day."

"We will discuss our course of action for the former 1st unit Leader tomorrow." Tsubaki said then turned to Soma. "Soma, you may return to your room. Stay on standby until further notice."

Soma nodded and exited the room. As he entered the elevator he was plagued by those four words, 'Please save my partner.'

The Oracle cells that bursted out when that was said felt familiar. It felt like the 1st unit Leader. So her God Arc was reaching out to him, but what could he do?

Without realizing it, he clicked the button to the Hanger floor. Licca must have called it a day because the Hanger was vacant. Walking out of the elevator he looked around at the God Arcs.

'There are so many. Hard to believe they all have a personality of their own.' Soma thought, then his eyes were drawn to her God Arc. It usually had the presence of a strong beauty, but now... now it seemed so sad and lonely.

"Please save your partner you say..." Soma said to the Iron Maiden X. He noticed Licca's spare gloves hanging on the railing. Going to them he got a crazy idea.

"So she sleeps under the sun's kiss and dances under the moon's light." He said to himself as he puts one of the gloves on and walks back toward her God Arc. "Don't worry, we'll save your partner..."

With that he grabbed her God Arc. "Tonight."


	7. Chapter 7

Okay this chapter I swear you'll finally find out the mysterious 1st unit Leader's name. Enjoy the read.

**Chapter 7**

On this night of a full moon Soma let loose. He didn't need a Chopper to drop him off. He didn't need any Ken Vision or Stamina Booster. He held none of his Aragami enhanced abilities back as he ran through the Sunken Grid forest. The trees pulsated with a glow lighting his way. Again, none of the Aragami messed with him. But neither did Shino take action on him for entering his territory.

He was a man on a mission, he would find her tonight. And if his theory was right she would be there, not Shino.

Picking up her scent, he quickened his speed. He was close, so close, almost there.

Breaking through the shrubbery, he found himself at a lake. The waters were calm as the moon reflected off it. And there she was, sitting on a large boulder. Sitting like a lady with her legs placed to her right side and her hands on her lap as she looked down at her reflection.

Soma saw that her eyes were not crimson red, but the warm brown he remembered. It was her... but she looked so sad.

"So you finally decided to show yourself." Soma said getting her attention. She was startled, she felt him enter her domain. She gave him a sad smile as he approached her.

"Soma," her voice was a calm sadness but one could still hear her joy at seeing him again. He stopped approaching when they were five yards apart.

"Hey. Those things that Shino said, were they true?"

She sighed, taking a deep breath as she closed her eyes. "Yes. Somewhere deep in the darkest part of my heart his words ring with truth."

Soma turned his head to hide the hurt on his face as she opened her eyes. "Hmph, I was afraid of that..." Getting himself together he turned to her again. "So what are you going to do now?"

The sad smile graced her face again as she calmly spoke. "I decided to stay here, protecting from the shadows. This is where I belong now."

"If you stay here the other Branches will send God Eaters to kill you at any chance they can get. Since you're now considered a threat." He clinched his fist at the last statement.

"This is for the good of everyone." She looked down as she said that, unable to make eye contact with him as she got a glance of the fire in his eyes.

"How do you know that?" He turned his head as he sneered. "Everyone thinks they're right."

Her smile was long gone now. "This is right."

Soma snapped as he faced back toward her. "They're going to destroy you!" He gasped as she got down from her boulder, forming a God Arc with her arm. She took a fighting stance, but it wasn't as aggressive.

"Please, just forget about me Soma and be happy with your life. Okay?" Her eyes sparkled like water swaying with the moonlight's reflection. Tears were trying to escape.

This caused Soma to tear up as well. But he didn't want the dam to break, he didn't want to show he weakness. In an attempt to keep them from coming out he grunted and shouted at her. "What's your problem?! You just think you can do whatever you feel like, running off to play the damn martyr. And I'm sick of it!" Pointing his God Arc at her he continued. "Go on, you just keep running! But I'll always be there to bring you back!"

"!" She gasped at how passionate he was as he got into a fighting stance. A tear escaped her eye at this. He would ignore her when she wanted him to be there, so why can't he leave her alone when she didn't want him to be there?

She charged at him with her normal grace but with a longer double edged sword this time.

...

"Lindow, please. You can't go through with this!" Sakuya pleaded with him as he entered the God Arc Hanger.

"This is the only way Sakuya. With this we'll finally be able to reach her."

"But... using her God Arc?! That's suicide, you have no idea if your body will accept her Oracle Cells." Sakuya said, tearing up.

"Hey, if she was able to grab my God Arc it should work the other way around." He said lightly.

"You don't know that. How could you possibly know that?!"

"Sakuya, I'm most likely the only one who can do this. I have to try."

"No! I won't sit here and possibly watch you destroy yourself! I've lost you once, I will not lose you again." She started to cry into her hands.

"Sakuya..."

"Please... don't make me experience that again... not when you've finally returned to me." She gasped as he pulled her into an embrace.

"You won't. I won't get lost again... not when I have you to return to." He said, wiping away a tear from her eye. "But, she once saved me from the darkness. Now it's my turn to save her. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I understand. But you won't be doing this alone. We'll all be there to help pull her out of the darkness with you."

"Thanks... I wouldn't have it any other way. My wife." He said, gently cupping her cheek as her eyes melted with enduring love. After a while they moved toward her God Arc.

"Now then let's (gasp)." Sakuya stopped mid-sentence.

"What's wrong?" Lindow asked before his eyes widen with realization as he looked in the direction Sakuya was looking. The 1st unit Leader's God Arc was gone. "Sakuya, gather the others."

"Right!"

After a while they all gathered in the Entrance in panic.

"What do you mean her God Arc is gone?!" Kota shouted getting everyone's attention on the Floor.

"Exactly as it sounds." Lindow said in seriousness.

"But why?! Who could have possibly taken it?!" Alisa asked.

"Sakuya, where's Soma?" She lowered her head at Lindow's question.

"... He wasn't in his room, he's gone." All of their eyes widened.

"... You don't think that..." Kota couldn't even finish the sentence.

"... No... he... he couldn't." Alisa said in disbelief.

"Troublesome brat." Lindow said before addressing the others. "Hey, we're heading out."

"None of you move, stay on Standby!" said Tsubaki as she came down the stairs, giving them a bad case of deja vu.

"Not this again. Don't try and stop us Tsubaki." Alisa said.

"So are you prepared to point your gun at your former Leader?" Tsubaki asked.

"If that's what it takes to save her then yes." Sakuya said with determination.

"So you have no hesitation of killing her?"

"No, I don't think we'll have to go that far." Kota answered. "Somehow... I feel that every thing's going to be alright. That we're going to reach her, no matter what." They all nodded in agreement making Tsubaki grin.

"You've all grown so much since the last time this happened that... I can't help but have faith in you God Eaters."

"Perhaps you're going soft, Sis." Lindow joked.

"Hm, maybe I am." Then she got serious. "I have new orders for you. Capture the former 1st unit Leader while retrieving Soma! Although her sanity is in tack, she still is infected. Be careful when coming into contact with her," then she softened. "Bring them back alive. You all have to come back alive!" They nodded in confirmation. "Good, now move out!"

...

At one point their blades meet in the center as they pushed against each other.

"What's with this blade? What happened to that 'Tortoise' blade?" Soma asked with gritted teeth.

"You're mistaken. That one is my son's blade, this one is mine." She answered pushing him back.

"Why do you call him that?!" Soma said landing a crushing blow that split the ground as he tried to hit her with the aftershock.

But she slid out of the way. "Because that's what he is."

Her voice was as gentle as ever, and it angered Soma that she directed it toward Shino. "Why can't you see that he's an infection plaguing your body!"

She sliced his cheek at that. "Don't talk about him that way." Her voice was soft but you could still detect the anger in it. "He's a living being that has been born into my body. Don't speak of Shino otherwise."

"He's an Aragami, dammit!" Soma sliced horizontally as she twirled out of the way.

"He's not just any Aragami." She said curling into herself, to suddenly open her eyes and thrust outward as needle sharp tar came from her body like a Cocoon Maiden. "He's my son."

Soma pulled out his shield in time but he was still pushed back.

"This is crazy! You're holding affection for an Aragami, a monster!"

"Aren't you being hypocritical. I mean we all held affection for Shio, even you, and she's an Aragami too." She said while shooting out black power spheres at Soma from her human-like hand as he dashed out of her range.

"That was different!"

"How? How was that any different?"

"Because Shio is real, Shino's a figment of your imagination you created most likely out of loneliness!" She caught him off guard by doing something unexpected from her... she slapped him.

As he was frozen in position she jumped back to a safe distance. "You can mock me all you want. But don't ever deny his existence." He saw her crying as he turned back toward her cupping his bruised cheek. "It's true, I was lonely. But what difference does that make? I've been alone since the beginning."

"... Hey, that's not true..."

"It is, and he was the only one who truly reached out to me for **me**. He's too warm a presence to ever be a figment of my imagination." She said embracing her heart as Shino did when talking about her. "He gave me something when I needed it most."

"And what would that be?"

She looked at him seriously as she slicing her arm down as it retook her long blade form. "A second chance." Then charged at him.

"Then, give me a second chance to make things right!" He block with his shield.

"Things are right Soma."

"Like hell they are!" Soma said pushing her back.

"I gave you back your happiness. What else could you possibly want?"

"You..."

She gasp at this and began to cry. "How can you make one word sound so cruel." She tried to upper cut him but he parried low. "Don't make me laugh. I don't believe in harems Soma."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Just be happy with Shio and torment me no more."

"What?!" Soma smacked her blade out of the way, she jumped back getting out of that open position. " I don't like her like that you idiot!"

"Don't mock me Soma. I've seen the way you interacted with her."

"Where the hell were you looking?! I treated her like a little sister, a fellow companion on the long road of finding ones self!"

"A road where I was extra baggage. Face it Soma, I'm unneeded. So just... just let me fade away. The Den will forget about me soon enough."

"That's bull." He growled. "Don't spew out that shit! The Den needs you, I need you!"

"You can handle things almost just fine. What do you need for me?"

Soma lowered his head for a second trying to will out the words he kept locked away for so long.

"I... I know I said things and did things that have hurt you that I didn't mean... It's just the way I am. I've never been good with expressing myself to others." Then he looked up at her. The array of emotions on his face was too much for her that she had to step back.

"But it was you who helped me open up to the world. It was you who stayed by my side when everyone else left! You risk your position for me! No body wanted to mess with the Death god who brought death to anyone who got too close as he suffered from his own loneliness! You saved my life, now it's my turn to save yours. I won't ever let you fade, so come back Amy! I'm dying inside, I need you for fucks sake!"

She gasped... this was the first time he, let alone anyone else, called her by her name. The mere thought of it brought her to tears.

"I'm slowly losing my mind since you've been gone. You were my better half, I need you to feel alive!"

The surprise of his words distracted her enough for him to break the distance between them. By the time she realized he was too close he had his God Arc behind her head to bring her into an open kiss. Her eyes widened in shock while his never broke contact with hers.

She didn't even have time to respond as his other hand punched into her stomach with the pummel of her God Arc. Forcing his way into her mind with the Resonance while their bodies were devoured by the tar.


	8. Chapter 8

Okay just to get this out of the way... forgive me for the dirty humor. If you don't like that sort of thing don't even read this chapter, in all honesty I don't mind. As the reader it's your choice if you read this chapter or not.

**Chapter 8**

It was darker than the darkest night. It was empty and soundless, the nothingness terrified him inside. Was this the world her conscious lived in?

Looking down he noticed his body emitted a light and he was standing on an invisible floor. If this was the world she was forced to thrive in he would be her light and guide her back. With his will returned he pressed forward.

After a while of walking into nothingness he saw something glow in the distance. Finally finding something, he ran toward it.

As he got closer he noticed that it was Amy sitting on the floor looking up at a glowing sphere in which a sleeping Shino floated in.

"Amy!" She turned to him with a gasp, surprised to actually find him here.

"Soma," as she said his name Shino's eyes snapped open and his face twisted from its peaceful expression to anger.

"No." He said blasting the sphere away in shatters as he continued to float. "I won't let you have mother."

"Hmph, I'll take you out as many times as it takes." Soma said summoning his and her God Arc to his hands out of the nothingness. They both glowed in the same light as him. "But in the end, she's coming back with me."

"Two?!... Well, let's see you try." Shino said forming his God Arc.

"Wait, stop. Don't fight." Amy tried to intervene but Shino pointed his hand toward her, creating a glowing sphere that entrapped her.

"Stay out of this mother. This has to be done." He said gently toward her, but then got stern and moved into his fighting stance as he addressed Soma. "I don't know how you found your way in the darkness, but your journey ends here!"

And so Shino charged at him. His style was good, Soma had to stay on his toes or else Shino would get a cut in. But to his displeasure Shino would unleash attacks he couldn't see, knocking him off his feet.

"Stop it! Both of you! I-I don't want this." Amy said while banging her fists on the sphere wall, trying to break out.

"I'm doing this for you mother. I won't let you get hurt again." Shino unleashed dark energy balls from his hand at Soma, who dashed out of their way.

"In this world... there's no way to stay unharmed. However!" Soma said bursting light from his body that made the area of combat shine. "You're not the only one who cares about her. I will do everything in my power to keep her safe."

"Get real, you hardly acknowledged her existence and now you're declaring to protect her! How do you expect me to believe that?!"

Shino unleashed his tar like whips, but they were unsuccessful. Unlike when the area was dark, Soma could see them coming and dodged them with ease. Soma bombarded him with both God Arcs.

"I've always cared for her in my own way!" Angered, Shino flew higher up and charged a giant dark energy ball in his hand.

"How?! You have done..." Then he threw the energy ball at Soma. "Nothing!"

Unable to pull out his shield in time, Soma blocked it with both God Arcs. The impact with the sphere pushed him back and onto his knees.

"With every mission we went on, I struck to keep her safe." He got back on his feet. "With every block I had to take, I did it to keep attention off of her!" He started to push on the sphere. "With every burst I had, I got stronger to protect her!" The force applied to the God Arcs was enough to push the sphere back.

"What? No!" Shino exclaimed as the sphere came right back at him. "Ahhh!"

As the energy ball consumed him and burst, he fell to the ground beaten and utterly defeated.

"I can't believe it. How... how could I lose?" Shino said tired and crestfallen as Soma approached him.

"Because my drive to fight was stronger than yours." Soma said as he raised his God Arc to give the final strike. "This is the end for you."

"NO DON'T!" Amy cried out as she finally broke out of the sphere. She dashed toward Shino shielding him with her body. Soma stopped at the last second. Soma's and Shino's eyes widened in horror at how close her existence had come to being extinguished. "Please... he's my son. Please don't take him away from me!"

"... You really care about him, don't you?" Soma said lowering his blade.

"Yes."

"Alright then, Amy." said a voice coming from Amy's God Arc as it began to glow into a blinding light.

As the light faded into a see-able glow, her God Arc had transformed into a woman in her late 20's. She wore a Gothic Victorian black strapless dress with a ribbon strapped corset on her stomach with frills all around the borders of her dress. She had an onyx stone choker on her neck, high heel boots and a black armlet. Her hair was a silverish grey and her eyes were like onyx.

"At last you show yourself, my Maiden." Amy said with a smile.

"Amy, at last we finally get to speak to one another." She closed her eyes as if to watch a memory. "For so long I could do nothing but watch you suffer from the hands of others and grieve at your sacrifices so that others could be happy. As you risked your life to save others."

She then opened her eyes again. "Although I couldn't talk back you still comforted me. I loved it so much, I couldn't get enough of it. And now at last, I can repay you for your kindness, my partner."

"I've waited a long time to meet you. I've always wanted to thank you for all that you've done for me and all that we went through together. I can't thank you enough. You know so much about me, my friend, yet I don't even know your name."

"It's Silvia," then she turned to Soma. "Thank you for fulfilling my request. I made it this far because of you. But... this is the last favor I have to ask of you. Give Amy some of your power to save Shino."

"What?! Why would I do that?" He growled at her.

"Because he's important to her." Silvia said pointing at Amy, causing Soma to look.

Amy embraced Shino in a tight grip, afraid that if she let go he would fade into the darkness. As she shielded him with her body. Soma then looked at the boy, there was something familiar about him. Perhaps it was the lost look in his eyes that reminded Soma of the eyes he once had as a child. Perhaps it was because he looked so vulnerable. But in the end, with a big sigh, Soma conceded.

"Fine. What do I have to do?" Silvia grinned at him, while Shino looked at him in disbelief.

"Soma," Amy said with affection and awe as tears of joy tried to escape from her eyes.

"Don't give me that look." Soma growled, trying to hide his blush under his hood as he turned his cheek. "I just don't want his blood on my hands, that's all."

"All you have to do is hold her hand. The energy should transfer naturally." Silvia answered, but she had a grin on her face as if she wasn't telling him everything.

"That's it?" Soma said getting closer to Amy and knelt to one knee. They both blushed as they looked into each others eyes. Soma had no idea why he was blushing like a 5 year old just because he was about to hold her hand. For some reason it felt so intimate, the fact that she was blushing too didn't help either.

Having enough of this nonsense he quickly grabbed her outstretched hand in a firm grip.

Soma's eyes widened as his Oracle Cells came from his wrist like thin tendrils that thrusted into her wrist. Soma would've understood if she cried out in pain, but instead she...

"Ahhh." She moaned out and her blush burned brighter. This reaction caused the feral side Soma tried to keep contained to start surfacing.

"Don't make noises like that, idiot!" His blush became more noticeable.

"I can't help it... I can feel your essence enter inside me." Her voice was ragged as the Oracle Cells pumped into her body. "It hurts... but it feels so good too."

"Don't say it like that! For Gods sake woman Shino and Silvia are here!"

"I know b-but... I can't help it. Mmm." She tried to snuffle her sounds by biting down on her lip.

"You two should get a room." Soma didn't even have to look up to see the grin on her face.

"Shut up, Silvia."

"As fun as it is messing with you two, I think it's about time we got out of here." Suddenly Silvia began to glow brighter.

"Silvia you're not..." Amy couldn't even finish the question, afraid of what the answer would be.

"No, I'm not disappearing." Answered Silvia, sensing her fears. She crushed them with a gentle smile. "We'll be seeing each other again soon."

"Alright, until then for now." Amy closed her eyes letting the warm brightening light of Silvia engulf her. Soon the others were engulfed by her blinding light.

"Oh, and Soma."

"Yeah?"

"Thank you..."

...

The others charged in to the location were Soma's Bio Signal tracked to. The area was damaged from the recent battle. But that's not what got their attention, it was the giant sphere of Oracle Cell tar that did the trick. It felt like deja vu, just like that time with Lindow.

At that time they could do nothing and had to rely on their Leader and her reckless actions to save herself and Lindow. But this time they had to rely on Soma to save her. Suddenly a blinding light cracked through the sphere, causing them to cover their eyes until it faded.

Where the sphere once stood now laid on their stomachs Soma and... Shino! They were flabbergasted, how could he be here? Living in the Leader's body he shouldn't have a physical body. Speaking of the Leader, where was she?

Then they spotted her a couple of feet away from the initial sphere area, as if she was blasted away. She laid on her side with her back facing them.

"Soma! Leader!" Alisa said as they all ran toward them to check on their condition.

Slowly Soma and Shino began to stir, both tired and drained. Soma struggled but eventually sat up, while Shino just pushed his upper half off the floor with his lower arms. He looked at himself then began to look around.

"She's not here. Mother... where's mother?" This caused Soma to look around just as frantic. Suddenly they spotted her, her lack of movement startled them. The others would have done something with Shino up and about but... But the sight of him was unbearable as he pathetically crawled toward Amy with every ounce of energy he had left, reaching out to her. "Mom... please get up."

But she didn't respond. At last he reached her and began to shake her shoulder, getting frantic. "Mother... you gotta wake up." Then he turned toward Soma with a face twisted with grief. "Dad, Mom's not responding."

"As long as she's breathing she's fine. She most likely tired-WHAT?!" Soma exclaimed at the end, finally catching on that Shino called him 'Dad.'

"Ah Soma. I didn't know you had so much time to get chummy with our Leader." Kota said giving him a lecherous grin.

"Idiot, he's not my kid!" The blush Soma sported caused the others to grin.

"Technically I am..." Shino corrected. "The Oracle Cells you gave mother helped create my physical body... so I am your son."

"Aw, now that I look at him, he does kinda look like you Soma." Sakuya said, bending down to get a better look at him. Strange how they didn't notice it before, but with all the chaos going on who could blame them, but his face looked just like Soma's when he was younger. The only difference was his crimson eyes and gray, but now a little more human like, skin tone.

"Lucky you Soma! You got to skip the diaper and potty training stage." Lindow said jokingly as he tapped Soma's shoulder.

"Yeah but he also skipped the 'joys' of making the kid!" Kota said bursting into laughter.

"Damn you. Shut up, you bastards!" Soma growled at them. His face looked more red than its usual tan.

"Guys look!" Alisa said drawing their attention. "Her back... her arm... Leader's wings are gone!"

That's right, her left appendage was back to normal with her God Arc back in her hand. She looked how she used to, with the exception her skin was now slightly gray.

"Ugh, I'm tired. Let's head back." Soma said letting Alisa carry Amy while he went to carry Shino on his back. "Hey, let's go home. All of us."

Shino broke into a warm smile and rested his head on Soma's back. But the moment was soon broken.

"Aw, look at that. Father-son bonding." Alisa said.

"Hey, maybe later he'll teach him how to ride a bike." Kota commented.

"Or about the birds and the bees." Lindow leered.

"Shut the hell up guys!" Soma shouted back at them.

"Leave him alone guys. Soma needs to make up for all the time he missed, and take responsibility as a father." Said Sakuya jokingly.

"Et tu Sakuya." Soma growled at her.

"Dad." Soma looked back at Shino from the corner of his eyes. "When will mother wake up?"

"Soon. She just needs to rest."

"Yeah, child birthing must have really tired her out."

"Oh grow up, Kota!"

"Dad."

"What?" He wasn't quite use to the title. Really, what would the Den say, barely 21 and already a dad.

"Thank you for not taking Mother away from me." Shino said slowly falling asleep.

"Hmph, thanks for sharing her and..."

"And what?"

"Giving us a chance to make things right."


	9. Chapter 9

This my friends is the end of this story. I'm going back to 'BEAST,' I said I was going to finish it and I intend to after this.

**Chapter 9**

The smell of rubbing alcohol and disinfectant invaded her nose. The sound of a beeping monitor slowly brought her back to the waking world. As her eyes gradually opened they began to focus and adjust to the bright light overhead.

As her eyes focused the blurs above her began to take form. Her eyes warmed to their first sight they were greeted with.

"Look, she's awake!" cried Shio with joy.

"Everyone... you're all here."

"Amy, thank goodness you came to!" Alisa exclaimed with joy.

"Jeez, Amy. You had us all worried there, taking your time waking up." Kota joked. "Still, out of all of us, you deserved a long nap."

"Your Oracle Cells seemed to have stabilized. Look's like you won't be needing your monthly P53 Bias factor shots anymore Amy." Sakuya smiled at her.

"Whoa, are you crying?" Lindow asked, noticing her tears. "It's not like you to get overly emotional."

"You guys... called me by my name."

"Of course, what good is a name if you never use it." Kota replied.

"I don't believe you guys... how could you have gone all that way to..."

"I told you," Soma said drawing her attention. "I'd always be there to bring you back."

"We're all a team. We would do anything to save one of our own." Alisa said.

"You're an important member to all of us and the Den." Then Sakuya began to giggle. "You'd be surprised how many people are waiting outside of the Sick Bay once news got out you were back. But immediate family only."

"You mean, you guys are... my family..."

"I know were not perfect, and somewhat broken, but we'll be there for you when you need us most." Sakuya said as Amy's tears came out faster.

"No, it's perfect... it's all I ever wanted... thank you." She tried to recover her image by distracting herself with a joke. "Hey, where's old man Sakaki? I'm surprised he's not here claiming to be the Uncle in this strange family."

"He didn't feel he had the right to be here." Lindow answered. "But he sent you a get well present along with the others."

Amy looked over to the stand on the left side of her bed, her eyes widened at the sight. It was bombarded with flowers, get well cards, and individual cans of 'First Love Juice.' All from the other units, but mostly from the second and third unit. Hell, Kanon sent her a plushie nurse cap teddy bear. And the Doc sent her a basket full of First Love Juice. She realized that the Den remembered she loved the stuff, they actually cared to remember. She covered her face with both of her hands.

"Sorry, kid. You've done so much for us, I wish we could've done more." Lindow said somewhat crestfallen.

"This is enough." She lifted her face from her hands to reveal a warm smile and a tear soaked face. "This is more than enough."

They all embraced her in a group hug. Soma being reluctant to the Canon-fest had to be dragged in by Sakuya.

"Is this what having a family feels like?... It feels so... warm."

"Alright enough of the sap, you're going to make me gag." Soma said, breaking up the group hug.

"Jeez, Soma." Kota said leering at him. "Is that anyway to treat your baby's mama."

"What?" Soma said growling at him.

"I agree. You should treat the mother of your child more gently." Alisa said, adding more to the offense.

"Shut up. I'm gonna say whatever the hell I want."

"Soma... did you shack up my unconscious body?" She had fake horror on her face as she covered herself with the bed covers, but it was nothing compared to the horror on Soma's face.

"No!" She giggled as his cheeks reddened like a tomato.

"I was only joking Soma. I know you would never do something like that. But still... you have to take responsibility for your actions." She said the last part dramatically.

"Quit joking around Amy!" He slanted his eyes at her.

"Sorry Soma. I couldn't help it... But seriously where is Shino? Where is my son?" she said getting serious.

"I'm right here..." He said hiding half his body behind another Sick bed curtain. Amy warmed up at finally finding him.

"There's my little man. Come here, Shino. There's something I've always wanted to do since the moment you were born." He reluctantly made his way over to her. Afraid that if he touched her she would fade back to unconsciousness. When he deemed he was a safe distance he stopped approaching. But she pulled him closer into a tight embrace. "Welcome to our World, Shino."

"Mom..." He said, slowly returning the hug.

"Okay, let's give them some alone time." Sakuya says with a clap of her hands as she addressed the others, with the exception of Soma. "I'm sure they want some parent-child bonding time."

"Don't make anymore kids while were gone Soma." Alisa whacked Kota's head as they left the Sick Bay.

"Idiot, that joke doesn't work if Shino's still in the room."

"Morons." Soma sighed.

"Soma." Amy called out to him.

"What?"

"I have to go back."

"..."

"The forest is my responsibility now."

"No your responsibility lies here."

"Yes, but it also lies out there."

"You're not going back out there."

"I could honestly slip out there during a mission if I wanted to."

"I will not allow it!" You could feel the static in the air as they stared each other down. Shino was at a loss whether to come to his mothers aid or stay out of it.

"Run along Shino, Mommy and Daddy need to talk." Amy said, not breaking eye contact with Soma. Shino left the room, they remained silent until the door shut.

"Soma, I have to go back. There are still Aragami in my territory that need my protection."

"It's a dog-eat-dog world. They can fend for themselves like they always have."

"They want out Soma! They don't want to live in a cycle of carnage. So I have to become their shields so they no longer need to fight!"

"Why you? Why does it always have to be you?!"

"If not me, who else?"

"You're not going."

"Soma, I have to. I made a commitment."

"I said you're not going." He growled this time.

"Why Soma? What are you so afraid of?"

"I'm not going to lose you again!" He caged her on the bed with his arms as his forehead touched hers. He sighed in exasperation as he closed his eyes. "I can't lose you again, I won't be able to survive that."

Her eyes grew wider as his eyes opened to meet hers. They held an animalistic instinct in them as he growled at her. "Why can't you understand that I need you, dammit!"

He wasted no time attacking her lips with his. Catching her off guard he took advantage of her open mouth and slipped his tongue in, going in for the kill.

Amy rolled her eyes, closing them in pleasure of his dominance as he campaigned his territory throughout her mouth. Last time she didn't have time to appreciate his lips, pity cause that was he first kiss, but now that it wasn't a fight to the death she could appreciate his taste. And my God, if didn't taste like the 'First Love Juice' to her. She couldn't get enough, she wanted more.

So she entered her tongue into the fray, lapping his and paying homage to his canines. Although her actions were gentle and shy they ignited a violent reaction from him.

His growl vibrated on her, sending a shiver of pleasure down her body, as he got on the bed pressing himself on to her. His lips pressed down harder on hers, they most likely would be swollen later, as he deepened the kiss.

They needed to breath, but that didn't stop Soma. As their lips broke apart he bit down on her lower lip, igniting a moan from her. She gasped as he aggressively worked down to her ear, nibbling a little, to make his way down to her neck leaving hickies on her smooth skin. He stopped at her pulse, gently kissing it before laying his head over her beating heart.

"I'm just... so grateful that... you're alive... That I got my other half back." He says letting her heartbeat calm him as he wraps his arms around her.

She responds by gently wrapping an arm around his back while the other's hand rubs his head.

"Soma, you do realized that I just meant visiting during my days off." Soma shifted his head a little to look up at her. "Shino most likely will look after the forest for me most of the time, but I still need to chaperon it from time to time."

"So then, you're not leaving?"

"No, Soma. Never again."

"Good, because you're going to be the mother of my future kids."

"What ,Hey!" She says breaking into a bright blush. "I've already had you inside me once. I don't need you in me again for a long time!"

"Hmph, we'll see about that." Soma shot her a seductive grin making her blush burn all over her face down to her neck.

"C-come on Soma. I've already given you a son, can't you be satisfied with that for now?"

"No, not fully. Kota was right about one thing, I did miss the joys of making the child." To tease he grinded into her. His grin widened as she began to stutter and fidgeted over his actions. But inside he was laughing at her for how cute she was when she was fluttered.

"S-speaking of our child. We should get him to study under the Doc along with Shio. Although he learned a lot from my memories , there's still so much for him to learn." Soma sighed as if remembering something.

"Yeah, that reminds me. There's something I have to tell you."

"Funny, I have something to tell you too."

"What's that?"

"I love you, Soma." Her voice sounded like an angel as she said the four magical words Soma always wanted to hear. But he said nothing, he was never a talkative man, only when need be, he believed actions speak louder than words.

He kissed her right where her heart was, an easy feat since her new outfit was strapless. His lips were warm on her skin as if he was transferring a message. He looked back up at her with the warmest expression that slowly turned to a mischievous grin.

"By the way, my Uncle found out about Shino while you were out cold. He wants us to visit so he can meet his nephew and his niece-in-law."

"What?!"

And so the heavens sent down an angel of pure white wings to shine light on mankind. But man, not appreciating heaven's gift, took it for granted. Choking and corroding the angel until her wings were pitch black.

Mankind, realizing their folly, set on a quest for atonement. Going through every trial that need be to get their light back.

The angel, taking pity on them, gave them a second chance as she rose from the ashes of darkness. Mankind, for the first time saw her for the beauty she really was.

Although her wings were tainted gray from the corrosion of man, her light shined brighter than ever before. The road to atonement was just within man's reach.


	10. Chapter 10

By popular demand I'm adding in this after the story chapter. Fine by me, I never really like odd numbers anyway. Oh and Chibi Anjiru when I thought of the idea a baby Ogretail I thought of a chibi ogretail, almost like a puppy including the puppy dog eyes... The ultimate cuteness, cute as a button now but grows up to be deadly. Happy Mother's day people.

The After Story

The whole situation was awkward for Amy. All she wanted to do was shift out her wings from her back and fly back to the Den with Shino and lay low. But Soma wasn't having that, his iron grip around her waist was almost like a chain. His logic was 'if I'm going down you're going down with me.' Well if she really wanted to escape she could gnaw his arm off, but she loved that arm too much.

But she should have expected this, it was bound to happen eventually... meeting the in-laws. His Uncle Garland seemed like an intimidating man. Not only was he the younger brother of Johannes von Schicksal, but also the HQ Director. If he was anything like his older brother she was in deep crap, not to mention he fact she helped play a role in his demise.

"Relax, he's not going to bite your head off."

"Yeah... but he might get someone else to."

"The man may be annoying but he's not all that bad."

"Easy for you to say, you don't look like a walking corpse that should be shot on sight."

"Corpses are blue not gray, and besides you look fine- quit trying to pull out your wings! You look fine."

"You're a bias opinion."

"I think you look pretty."

"You're an even more bias than him, Shino."

"Maybe you'd feel better if you wore something less... raggedy punk Goth."

"I told you my old clothes are stiff and scratchy!"

"You could have sucked it up until the costume tailored clothes came in!"

"It feels like ants are crawling inside my skin, I'd like to see how long you last before you start scratching your skin off!"

"You're over reacting!"

"Well you're being insensitive." Soma started to laugh. "What are you laughing about?"

"We're already quarreling like an old marry couple, we were made for each other."

"That's sweet... but that still doesn't change the fact your Uncle scares the shit out of my."

"Should I dispose of him then."

"No Shino!" "Maybe." Amy and Soma said at the same time.

They both stared at each other for a while before Soma turned back to Shino. "Listen to your mother, Shino."

"You relented pretty fast dad."

"When dealing with women you either want to be right or happy. I choose happiness."

"Females are so confusing."

"A life lesson that took me 13 years to learn son."

"Don't teach him stuff like that!"

"What, the truth?" Amy would had retaliated such accusations but they arrived at Garland's abode... More like a mansion. "Hey were here."

Amy then turned to Shino, giving him an object she pulled out one of her secretive pockets. "Here Shino, if you ever feel like you're in trouble blow this."

"A rape whistle?!" Soma said in disbelief.

"Hey, anything could happen!" The front door open to reveal the mansion's head butler.

"Master Soma, Lady Amy, and young Master Shino; Master von Schicksal shall see you in the tea room. Please, do come in." The butler lead them into the tea room while keeping small talk with Soma. "Good to see you Master Soma, the last time I've seen you you were the same age as young Master Shino."

"Good to see you Victor, how you've been?"

"Ah, my knees have been acting up lately. These old bones aren't as young as they use to be, but I can still give you a run for your money at the shooting range."

"Hm, you're on. But you got two more competitors, I hope you can keep up."

"Oh, that would be nice. I'll be sure not to disappoint. But I digress, Master Schicksal shall see you now." Victor said opening up the room's doors.

The room was like a study room with a great patio view and a ridiculous size coffee table with various treats and tea biscuits. There Garland sat with his legs crossed as he toke a sip of his tea. After a taste of his drink he turned from us.

"Soma it's so good to see you again. Pity it takes you to make me a great uncle in order for you to visit me. I'm far too young to be consider a grandfather, let alone a great uncle."

"Enough with the jokes Garland, I already get enough of that from Alisa and Kota."

"Ah this must be the mother of my great nephew." Garland says, taking Amy's hand to place a kiss on it. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you"

"Oh... the pleasure's to be all mine. To be honest I was expecting you to try and chop my head off."

"For your part in the Aegis Project Prevention? Rest assured we of the HQ played no part in the Aegis Project. And though I miss my brother, he made his choice in the path he took."

"That too... but I meant for the fact I stole your nephew before you could walk him down the aisle."

"(Chuckle) What a charming lady you found Soma. She has a good sense of humor."

"And you're more pleasant than I thought you would be, it's a good to know that someone in Soma's family has a sense of humor."

"Mm." Soma mumbled at her.

"And this must be my new great nephew. I've only known about his existence for two weeks and he's already growing to be a little man... Hm, I must say he does resemble his father when he was little."

"... I get that a lot."

"Please, call me Uncle. It would do me good to hear my kin call me that since my only nephew refuses to say it."

"Uncle..." Garland gets a twinkle his eyes, soaking the word in.

"Aw, music to my ears."

"Don't humor him Shino or else his head will get bigger, that is if it can get any bigger."

"Ah, you wound me a Soma. I see you haven't changed since you were little."

"Same goes for you Garland."

"But how rude of me, you must be parched. Please help your selves to some sweets." They all sat down. Garland poured Amy and Shino their cup of tea while getting dark coffee for Soma. " I trust it's to your liking."

"It's passable."

"Now... to meet the new extensions of the family. I've read up on Amy's files, but I barely know anything about my new nephew. Please, Shino tell me about yourself." Silence passed as Shino toke a sip of his tea then put it down.

"I'm an evolved Aragami created when my mother was forced to spirit into an Aragami Transformation, where I thrived in her body for a period of time until I was given a physical form when my parents touched each other." They all were quiet as the parents turned as red as a tomato out of embarrassment. While Shino, unknowing to how his words can be misinterpreted, took another sip of his tea. "This tea is delicious Uncle, however I like First Love Juice more."

"...Hm, interesting." Garland was doing a good job holding in his laughter. "That's all good in well, but I want to know about 'you.'"

"Me? I'm Shino. I rule over a territory, I have a loving mother and a supportive father. A father who I wasn't on good terms with at first and ended up being defeated by him in battle, but in the end a supportive father none the less."

"You make me sound abusive."

"I prefer the term tough love. But getting back on track, I have new friends and a great life. So in the end, you are you and I am me. And there's no one else I'd rather be."

"Hm..." He crossed his fingers under his chin, just like his older brother use to do. "You seem to be a good child, I look forward to actually getting to know you better."

"So I take it we will be seeing each other more often?"

"As often as I can... or as much as your father permits me."

"Quit making me out to be the 'bad guy.'"

"Relax Soma." Amy said biting into a tea biscuit. "He's just trying to guilt you into visiting more often. Which I think is a good idea, after all he is family now."

"Speaking of family when are you expecting more kids?" Amy started to choke on her biscuit while Soma just grinned behind his coffee mug as Shino patted her back.

"She wouldn't let me make more any time soon."

"For the last time you're not getting anymore for a long time." Amy said sternly.

"She's right Soma, you should respect the mother of your child's choice? And not to sound old fashioned, but you should put a ring on her."

"He did, the weddings is in the Far East Branch's Entrance in a month. I sent your invitation in the mail a couple of days after he proposed."

"Well, I'm looking forward to the ceremony."

"I have a question for you."

"Yes Shino?"

"How did you lose your eye?"

"Shino!"

"He was running with scissors."

"Soma!"

"Hm, and you said I didn't have a sense of humor."

"Indeed, but the story of my lost eye is far for interesting than a story of a boy who didn't listen to his parents warnings." Garland took a sip of his tea. " I was an old type Gods Eater, a Pistol Arc user. I was on a mission with my team in the Europe Branch. We were ordered to take out a few stray Zygotes in an abandon city by the higher ups. But little did they or we know they sent us into a nest of Sariels. It was like a dog fight in the sky, the key to victory was who could get the higher ground over the enemy.

"We had to hold them off until the rescue Chopper came to pick us up. We we're getting tired, and the Sariels were moving in on us. One of my team mates couldn't fight anymore... and a Sariel was closing in on him. So I did what any team mate needed to do... I pushed him out of the way. The laser missed his heart at the cost of my eye... I say that's a far trade."

"..."

"... Amazing."

"Surprisingly, my respect for you has went up Garland."

"You would have done the same thing too Soma and you know it."

"Jeez, just take the complement will yah."

"But enough about my boring past, what are you going to do about Shino's schooling."

"Don't worry uncle Garland." Amy said taking a sip of her tea then put it back down. "Shino will be attending the finest middle school in the Far East Branch area, and to start things off right he's already made a friend..."

****** A couple of days later on their way to school ******

"School! School! I wonder what that is?!" Shio exclaimed as she skipped alongside Shino. Her Ouin Middle School uniform dancing with her.

"I heard it's a place to learn in a normal environment." Shino said beside her walking with his hands in his uniform pants' pockets. Both of their uniforms were costume tailored to fit their circumstance.

"To learn... learning is fun! I'm ready to eat it!"

"Well... I hope it taste good..."

****** Inside their classroom ******

"Class, we have new students today that hail from the Far East Branch." The Teacher announced them to the classroom. The class looked at them in interest since it was rare for someone from the Branch to be young enough to still go to middle school let alone the time for school. "Along with their parents they're God Eaters, and due to their special circumstances they will occasionally be excused from the class."

Then the Teacher turned to them. "Would you like to introduce yourselves to the class."

"Hello! I'm Shio it's nice to meet all of you! I hope we all can be friends!" The boys began to mumble about how cute she was while the girls wanted to hate her but they couldn't find anything about her to hate.

"And what about you young man."

"My name's Shino... not that you need to remember that." The girls in the class began to squealed and the boys mumbled in jealousy at how he was already established as the tall,dark, and handsome of the classroom, most likely the whole school. Why girls like dark and mysterious guys they will never know.

****** Lunch Break ******

Shio already got along well with the class but she mostly hung out with Shino since she was more familiar him. And Shino got involved with the others when necessary and avoided the girls in the class, other than Shio, like a plague. A few were genuine while the others just giggled about him.

To him, he found his job was not in the class. But mostly keeping the Teachers off his back... and the boys away from Shio. And speak of the Devil there goes one now... Oh how fun this was going to be...

****** Principal's Office ******

"Good evening Mr. and Mrs. Schicksal... I'm sorry to have to call you in like this."

"Oh I'm not Mrs. yet sir, our wedding isn't until the end of the month."

The Principal said looking between Shino and his... parents? He was flabbergasted at how... young they were. How could a couple so young have a child this old? He could see the resemblance in Shino and Soma, but with how Soma looks he could be mistaken for his older brother.

"Did something happen sir?"

"Well ma'am, your son has been causing disturbances on the school grounds. From fighting in class and other things." Soma and Amy looked down at Shino, as he was seated in between them.

"Did you win?" Soma asked.

"Yeah..."

"That's my boy."

"Mr. Schicksal, you should not approve these behaviors."

"Shino, you know you're stronger than the other students. Why would you start an unfair fight?" Amy asked putting her hand on top of his head.

"They were trying to get too close to Shio."

"Wow, you really are your father's son."

"What's that suppose to mean?" Soma asked her suspiciously.

"He's very protective of the people he cares about, especially his special one."

"Ma'am you're son has done more offenses to the school that are a greater concern than his quick fist."

"What else did he do?" Amy sighed already bored of this meeting.

"In under one day he had manged to slip over 50 threat notes to his Math teacher. By paper air plains no less, he just threw them right on to the teacher's desk." He then handed a paper her a paper. "This is the latest one."

_Dear Droid of the System,_

_I like to inform you of your insignificance in my daily life. In my line of work I have no need for your lessons and the fact you try to shove it down my throat. When facing an Aragami I don't see the value of knowing that the value of pi is irrational. The only math I need to know is that I don't even need half of my strength to break you in half. If you're curious about the frequency of these letters, it's to sink this message as deep into your head as I can. As if baiting a mackerel, which I will then proceed to shove a log up it's ass. That's right! I'm going to anally probe the mackerel! Again keep teaching the children of the future while leaving me alone._

_Sincerely,_

_Shino _

After reading the letter Amy handed it to Soma then looked back down at Shino. "I can't help think of the frightening advancement we'd make over the Aragami if you put that sort of energy into your work as a Gods Eater." She then sighed and turned back to the Principal. "I'm sorry about my son. I promise to set him straight with his math Teacher."

"And the fights?"

"... That depends on if the boys stay away from Shio."

****** Wedding Day ******

Shio was the cutest flower-girl and Shino was such a good mama's boy for walking his mother down the aisle. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd unit crowded the Entrance as Soma and Amy exchanged their vows.

*** Seriously, the End. I was planning on having a better wedding scene in 'Beast' anyway ***


End file.
